You and Me
by Stormcloudishone
Summary: Draco and Harry both work at the Ministry; Albus and Scorpius attend the same classes at Hogwarts. Will such close contact finally allow for some peace between the Malfoys and the Potters? Or will things blow up in the faces of both generations? Complete.
1. Chapter 1

_(Okay, while I was poking at my epilogue for We Danced, I had this idea. It looked really good in my head, and it promises to be quite a bit longer than my first fic, so let's hope it's as well received. This is post-DH, semi-epilogue compliant, about the same as the last one. Please, please review! Your support is what keeps me going!)_

"Father."

"Mm-hmm."

"Mother took all our money, didn't she."

Draco glanced up from the papers strewn across the table in front of him, seeing Scorpius standing in the doorway. He sighed. "Why would you think something like that?" Scorpius moved closer, his socks making barely any noise on the carpeted floor. He sat on the edge of the bed, close to where his father sat at his desk.

"Because we had to sell the Manor and move after you and Mother got divorced." It was extremely difficult to look into gray eyes identical to his own and see the painful truth. His son was intelligent, and it was only natural that he had pieced it together. It hadn't exactly been difficult. He and Astoria had been fighting more and more often after Scorpius was born. It hadn't been much of a stretch to file for divorce. Unfortunately, Astoria took advantage of the stereotype against former Death Eaters and managed to spin what should have been a simple open-and-close divorce trial into a war.

Draco had managed to win custody of Scorpius by the skin of his teeth, partly because he was going to turn eleven in about a year, and then he would be going off to Hogwarts. It had helped that Scorpius had expressed complete disinterest in going with his mother, and insisted on remaining with his father. Astoria hadn't taken it well, and had made sure to squeeze every last Galleon out of the settlement. A generous sum had been put away for Scorpius for when he graduated from Hogwarts at seventeen, but it was impossible to touch it until then, so it did them little good for surviving until that time.

Draco had struggled to make ends meet, but in the end the only viable option had been to sell the Manor. Of course, that had generated more than enough for them to get by for a while, but he was going to have to get a job. As much as the Manor and the majority of its contents had been worth, it would not last forever. And with the Dark Mark on his arm, getting a job was going to be difficult. He had been trying not to worry about it too much in front of Scorpius, though. It was bad enough he'd uprooted the boy from the Manor without troubling him further with their future money predicament.

Not that they were living anywhere particularly run down. It was a nice little place, two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a full kitchen and a sitting room. But it was just that: little. Two of them could have fit in a single wing of Malfoy Manor. Scorpius had adjusted well, of course. He rarely complained, and he rarely questioned. He trusted his father without any difficulty, something Draco was trying to deserve, unlike Lucius with his twisted ways of supporting his pureblood beliefs. Draco had been raised on those beliefs, and they had led to the downfall of the Malfoy family. He refused to put Scorpius through the same thing.

Draco leaned forward and gently rubbed his hand over Scorpius' head, mussing his blonde hair slightly. "Your mother was a selfish bint that didn't appreciate us." He smiled, and got a small smile in return. "She might've gotten most of the money, but I got you. I'm taking care of us, you worry about going to Hogwarts and being the best there is, all right?"

Scorpius nodded obediently, standing from the bed. "All right. And then one day we'll buy back the Manor, right? Just for you and me?" Draco laughed, and nodded.

"Right, that's our end goal. One day we'll buy back Malfoy Manor, just for you and me."

_(Time skip, since dashes don't seem to be working .)_

"Father, look." Draco glanced over, and spotted Harry Potter. Merlin, it had been ages since he'd had any contact with the Gryffindor Golden Boy, of all people. If that wasn't enough, there was a whole crew of children with them, and the Weasley-Granger brood was there, as well. He could see the Weasel looking their way, talking to the red-haired girl beside him that was obviously his daughter.

"At?" he asked teasingly, and Scorpius glanced up at him, brow quirked, as if questioning his father's intelligence at such a question. It was so much like looking into a mirror of his own childhood that it nearly hurt. Draco looked up again, and caught Potter's eyes watching him closely. He stared back at the man that had once been his enemy, and nodded to him, just slightly. He received a nod in return, and then they both turned back to their respective families. Despite the fact that prejudice still ran hot against Death Eaters, the war was long over, and Draco wasn't interested in stirring up old battles.

Before Scorpius could answer in what would have obviously been a sarcastic tone, Astoria stepped closer and interrupted. "Are we done here?" she hissed quietly into Draco's ear. "I promised to put in an appearance today, but I have other obligations, unlike you." Draco sent her a scathing look.

"I only asked you to be here for Scorpius. I could care less if I never saw you again. Off with you, if you're in such a hurry. It would make my day that much more pleasant." Astoria huffed, turned, and exited the Platform, which helped a great deal of tension to ease from Draco's shoulders. He glanced back down at Scorpius, and squeezed his shoulder lightly.

"Hey. It's you and me, remember?" Scorpius nodded. "Now, I expect a letter by the end of the week, and no later. I'll see you during the Christmas holidays, all right?" Scorpius smiled briefly and nodded again, glancing toward the train and then back up at his father.

"Goodbye, Father." Draco squeezed his shoulder again and let go. There were no public displays of affection for Malfoys. But his heart ached as he watched Scorpius board the train, knowing it would be months before he saw him again. He turned away, forcing himself to store away the painful emotions. He might regret his father's methods, but he would be eternally grateful that his cold upbringing had taught him how to compartmentalize his emotions, giving himself more control in situations such as this. It might have been what allowed him to be a prejudiced prat in school, but now it would be what got him through these rough times to come.

Draco felt an itch between his shoulder blades, like someone was watching him. He glanced over his shoulder, and met the brilliant green eyes of Harry Potter once again. Their gazes held, and Draco wondered if he imagined the brief emotion flickering behind the emerald gaze before the brunette broke their stare and returned his attention to his own family, and his wife.

Draco turned away, shaking himself slightly. He had more pressing matters to attend to than Harry Potter. He still needed to find a job.

_(Time skip)_

"Hey, mate. Have you heard who's replacing old Arnold yet?" Harry glanced up, judging from the sour tone that it was someone they knew and, worse, someone they didn't like. But then, Ron had a tendency to overreact to things, so perhaps it wasn't really as bad as his best friend was making it out to be.

"Not yet, no. Where'd you find out?" Ron slumped into the chair across the desk from Harry, looking put out.

"I went by to see, of course. Nearly everyone has. And everyone that hasn't has at least heard about it." That explained why Ron had come to see him, at least. He couldn't stand to be out of the loop himself, and couldn't bear the idea of his best mate Harry being out of the loop, either. Not that Harry didn't appreciate it, but he had more on his mind than their newest coworker in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.

Ron was still rambling on, "… can't believe they actually gave him the job, the slimy git. It's completely mental." Harry smiled. Some things never changed, at least.

"Ron. _Ron_," he said again when he was ignored the first time. "I get it, you hate the guy. Who is it?" Ron huffed, obviously annoyed at having been interrupted mid-rant.

"They've gone and hired the ferret, mate. They hired Draco Malfoy." Harry rolled his eyes.

"Ron, it's been like twenty years. He hasn't done any Dark Magic since the war ended. He's got a son Rose's and Albus' age. Maybe you should give him the benefit of the doubt." Ron looked at him as if he had gone off the deep end for sure.

"Benefit of the doubt? Harry, this is Malfoy! The prat we went to school with? The Death Eater? Remember any of that? He's evil, mate! And now he's working here with us!" Harry sighed and rubbed his forehead.

"Ron, until he does anything wrong, I'm not going to worry about him. I've got bigger problems right now, and so do you. Go focus on some work and forget he's even there. We'll probably never even see him." The idea improved Ron's mood enough that he left to get back to his own office, but Harry was sure he'd get sidetracked along the way. He didn't really mind, though. Just as long as the work got done eventually.

All the rest of the day, Harry heard of nothing else but Draco Malfoy, working right there in their Ministry. As if they had invited Voldemort himself into the Department of Mysteries or something. It really couldn't be as big a deal as everyone made it out to be, could it? Resigned, Harry figured it couldn't hurt to just swing by the blonde's new office before he left work for the day. Ever since the last fight with Ginny last week, now that it was just them and Lily at home, he'd been looking for excuses to work late, anyway. Call it avoidance if you will, but he just wasn't in the mood to argue right now.

Harry peeked into the small office, having wandered all the way around to the Office for the Detection and Confiscation of Counterfeit Defensive Spells and Protective Objects. He remembered being thankful when he'd first arrived that he'd never been stuck in an office like this, cramped as it was. Now, as Head Auror, his office was easily three times the size of the one Malfoy was obviously stuck with. The blonde was seated at his desk, staring at a small, framed photograph that he had apparently brought with him to keep on his desk.

His gray eyes were dark and serious, his wand spinning thoughtfully in his hands. His gaze flew to the door as it creaked open further, and Harry stepped into view. He watched, fascinated, as the emotion bled from the dark gray eyes and left them blank and much lighter in color. "Potter," he said tonelessly. "Come to stare at the freak like everyone else?" Harry's slightly amused expression became confused, and then insulted.

"What? No. I don't think you're a freak, Malfoy. You always used to be a prat, but not a freak." Malfoy's laugh was bitter, as was the smirk that followed.

"You're the only one, then." He whipped the sleeve of his black robes up, exposing his pale forearm and the horrific black tattoo that marred his skin. "I suppose I'm lucky there wasn't much work for me on my first day, I never would have finished with the constant… visitors." He hid his arm, turning his face away. Harry moved further into the small room, almost forgetting that this was Malfoy, Draco Malfoy the ferret and prat and bane of his existence for the duration of his stay at Hogwarts. "I'm going to have to put wards on my office door if it continues. Merlin, I don't know what I was thinking by coming here," he muttered.

"It's probably just because you're new. Anyone would have gotten the same treatment," offered Harry lamely. Gray eyes returned to his face, one brow arched.

"I doubt just anyone would have been hissed at by his new coworkers, or threatened for daring to even step foot here. No, that's especially for me, Potter." Harry watched as his old nemesis glanced to the photo on his desk. From this angle, Harry could now see the picture and he realized it was Malfoy's son, Scorpius. He was sitting on a broom, hovering not far off the ground, grinning proudly at the camera before he zoomed off frame and then returned, his blonde hair mussed by the wind and his expression one of pure joy. "I'll be fine, Potter. No need to rescue me from anyone. As you said, they'll eventually get bored."

Harry bristled slightly. "Who said I was coming to rescue you?" he snapped. "I was just as curious as anyone else." Malfoy smirked, and Harry was annoyed by the sight. Merlin, he was just the same. Same pointed face, same blonde hair, and same self-satisfied air. Here he'd thought the man might have changed or at least grown up since school, but it appeared not.

"You've got a hero complex, Potter. Why else would you become an Auror except to save people all the time?" Harry scowled.

"You're still the same prejudiced prat, Malfoy. Maybe people wouldn't hiss at you if you didn't deserve it." The faint amusement disappeared from the blonde's gray eyes, and Harry cursed himself mentally. He'd come over here to prove a point to Ron, and it was getting all screwed up. The blonde had obviously been kidding; he had no idea why he had taken the innocent and almost complimentary remark, so poorly.

"Well, don't stay any longer, for Merlin's sake," he snarled. "I wouldn't want to contaminate you." The blonde turned back to his desk and pretended that Harry was no longer there. Harry tried several times to get the blonde's attention, but eventually had no choice but to leave, kicking himself for reacting so badly. Malfoy hadn't even said anything all that terrible. Just because Harry didn't like being referred to as a hero didn't make the blonde deserve the horrible treatment he'd described. First thing tomorrow, he would write the man an apology and send it as a memo over to Malfoy's office. The last thing the Ministry needed was warfare between him and Malfoy in their department.

_(Time skip)_

Albus looked around the emptying courtyard and sighed. A bunch of first years had agreed to meet up to work on some homework in the courtyard, since some sixth years had already staked out the Common Room to do the same. Unlike the rest of his new Gryffindor friends, though, he was completely hopeless at Potions and he was the only person left that wasn't done. Albus rubbed at his forehead and scowled with frustration at his book and parchment.

"Having some trouble?" Albus glanced up, his sunlight temporarily blocked by the new arrival.

"Yeah. I'm rubbish at Potions and Professor Slughorn wants this turned in by tomorrow." The other boy sat, and with the sun no longer blinding him he realized who it was. "You're Scorpius Malfoy, right?" The blonde glanced at him, one brow arched.

"Yes. You're Albus Potter. I saw you at Platform 9 ¾." Scorpius leaned a little closer, checking what page Albus' textbook was turned to. "I can help you with this." He leaned down and searched through his own bag quickly, pulling out his own copy of the completed assignment. "I think we're actually in the same class."

Albus waited patiently for the boy to sit back up, frowning slightly as he remembered his Uncle Ron's reaction to seeing the Malfoys at the train. He couldn't see what the big deal could have been. Scorpius seemed like a nice guy, helping him like this. "Thanks a lot," he said. "I'd probably never have finished this on my own."

Scorpius glanced at him, tucking his bag back down at his feet, both parchments in hand. "It's no trouble. Potions has always come naturally to me." He began to scan what little work Albus had already done, his blonde hair falling into his eyes after a moment. He brushed it back and glanced up, amusement quirking the ends of his lips. "You weren't exaggerating," he said simply, and Albus sighed.

"I told you." He paused, looking down at his book and then back up at the Slytherin boy. "Do you mind if I ask you a question?" He could see the blonde tense, immediately on his guard.

"Only if I can return the favor," he finally answered warily. Albus nodded, and Scorpius relaxed slightly. "Well, then. Ask away."

Albus hesitated, and then blurted, "Is it true your father was a Death Eater?" Scorpius' eyes went blank, his entire body stiffening as if he were made of marble, perched on the stone seat beside the Gryffindor boy. "I'm sorry," he said immediately, horrified to have insulted his new almost-friend so quickly after meeting him. "You don't have to answer that. I was just curious. My dad and my uncle talk about your father sometimes and I was wondering if any of what they said was true. I figured you would know better than them."

Scorpius remained frozen, staring at him, and Albus feared something was actually wrong with the blonde until he finally sighed and relaxed. "It's fine. I don't like people talking badly about my father." He glanced away, across the empty courtyard. Albus wondered if the boy would actually answer, and was startled when he did so. "It's true he got the Dark Mark, but he hates it. My grandfather convinced him to do all those awful things people talk about, and then Voldemort scared him into doing the rest. It came down to two choices: obey or die." Gray eyes locked onto Albus' face. "My father did what he had to in order to survive. I'm not ashamed of him, even though he was on the wrong side during the war." This was said fiercely, as if daring the brunette to argue with him.

Albus nodded quickly. "I understand. I don't care about all that. You seem like a really nice guy." He held out his hand, wanting to repair whatever damage his careless question might have caused. Scorpius had offered to help him selflessly. Surely he couldn't be the prat his Uncle Ron thought him to be? "Friends?" Scorpius eyed his hand, and then reached out and shook it. Those gray eyes darkened slightly with emotion, and Albus felt relieved. He didn't like to see them so icy and emotionless as they had been before.

"Friends, then." He dropped Albus' hand and then chuckled softly. "Sorry," he said when Albus looked at him oddly. "It's just that my father will probably have a stroke when I tell him who my new best friend is." Albus grinned.

"Same here. And that goes double for my Uncle Ron." Both boys lapsed into silence for a moment, considering their awkward situation. "So, what's your question? About my father, I mean," he clarified when Scorpius arched a brow at him.

"I –" The blonde cut himself off, glancing up and to the right quickly to see that their privacy was being interrupted by a herd of Hufflepuffs. "I'll ask you later." He stood, shifting his bag onto his shoulder. "I'll meet you right outside the Great Hall before breakfast tomorrow and you can give that back to me," he said, gesturing to his copy of the Potions homework. Albus nodded, shoving his things into his bag, as well.

"Hey," he said, before the Slytherin could disappear. The blonde turned, waiting expectantly. "Err, see you tomorrow," he said lamely, realizing he had stalled the boy's exit with nothing specific to say. He just didn't want to let the blonde go just yet. He had been enjoying himself, oddly enough. Scorpius smiled a little, and Albus watched as the brief show of happiness transformed the other boy's face.

"Tomorrow, then," he said with a nod, and then vanished into one of the corridors branching off from the courtyard. Albus stood there for a moment, staring after him with a silly grin on his face. He now had a best friend. And it was a Slytherin, the son of his father's Hogwarts nemesis. James was going to die of shame. Thrilled by the idea of harassing his annoying older brother, Albus raced off toward the Gryffindor Tower, grinning all the way.

_Dear Father,_

_I hope your efforts at finding a job have been successful. Don't allow yourself to become overly stressed about it if you've yet to find a position somewhere. We'll figure something out. After all, Malfoys are resourceful, as you always say._

_As for myself, I'm doing well here at Hogwarts. I was sorted into Slytherin, obviously. Thanks to you, I'm ahead of the rest of my class in Potions and in Charms. The homework in these classes is easy compared to what you have already covered with me, and it gives me more free time to focus on more difficult classes or explore the school._

_During my exploring, I found someone that doesn't carry a stereotype against the Malfoy name, and we're becoming fast friends. He's absolutely rubbish at Potions, but I'm helping him in class and he's gradually learning under my tutoring. You'll never believe who it is. I'm still rather shocked myself. His name is Albus Severus Potter._

_I hope to hear back from you soon._

_Your son,_

_ Scorpius_

_Dear Dad,_

_ Being at Hogwarts is great! I got into Gryffindor, just like I hoped I would. I didn't even have to tell the Sorting Hat to put me there; it did it on its own, so I guess that means that's where I really belong. James was relieved. I think he'd have disowned me if I ended up anywhere else. Rose got into Ravenclaw, which isn't that surprising. She's as smart as Aunt Hermione._

_ I'm as rubbish at Potions as you are, but I'm not half bad at Transfiguration, I think. We haven't really done much yet, but it can't be too hard to apply what we're learning now, can it? I guess I'll just have to find out. Anyway, I got my new friend to help me with Potions. He's a natural at it. I'd probably find some way to completely flunk it if it weren't for him._

_ Promise you won't be mad, though. And don't let Uncle Ron be mad, either. Scorpius is a really nice guy and he's a first year like me so we have a lot of classes together. A lot of kids don't even give him a chance because of who his dad is, because their parents are a lot like Uncle Ron and they tell their kids not to like the Malfoys. But that's not fair, is it?_

_ Write me back soon, okay?_

_Love,_

_ Albus_

Harry wasn't sure if Malfoy read his apology memo or not, because he never got a response. For the next four days he waited for some kind of sign from Malfoy, and got nothing. He did hear from Ron that the blatant disgust for the new Ministry employee had died down some, but it seemed like absolutely no one was happy to have the blonde in the office with them.

As much as Harry pitied the friendless blonde, he didn't exactly feel like trying to reach out again. Last time had gotten him slapped back for his troubles, and it just seemed easier to pretend he wasn't even there. Of course, that would require less effort if Ron didn't gripe about it all the time, but Harry had gotten used to ignoring his red-haired friend whenever he got caught up on a subject that no one else was really interested in hearing about.

"You know, if my Dad was still head of that department, he'd never have hired Malfoy," muttered Ron, sitting in the chair across from Harry's desk once again.

"Ron, I could care less that Malfoy's in the Ministry at all, much less that he's on the same floor as we are. I haven't seen him since I went down to his office myself, and he hasn't come to see me. People are making a bigger deal out of this than is necessary, really. The charges against him were dropped when we were younger, and he hasn't done anything sense. Really, it's time to let it go." Ron shot him a look and stalked out of the office to find someone that would agree with him about the fiasco that was Draco Malfoy.

Harry refused to worry about it anymore. He finished his work, gathered his things, and headed down to Level 8 to head home for the day. There was an owl there waiting for him, and he grinned when he recognized it as Albus'. Harry unlocked the door and went inside, bringing the bird along with him. He gave it a treat and relieved it of its message, sending it on its way before he sat down to look it over. Ginny had taken Lily shopping with her and apparently still wasn't home. Though he hated to admit it, he was relieved the girls weren't there. It gave him some time to just relax in his own home without being constantly tensed for some kind of argument with Ginny.

Harry sank into his favorite chair and opened the letter from Albus eagerly, scanning through its contents quickly. He stopped, shook his head, and read it again slowly. And then again. Then he just sat there for a moment and stared down at the simple way his eleven year old son had spelled out the very problem he was dealing with here at the Ministry.

Across town, Draco let himself inside his own home and locked the door behind himself, slumping against the closed portal with a weary sigh. It was terribly lonely, coming home to an empty house every day. But he preferred being alone to being with Astoria, so he couldn't really complain too much. Scorpius' owl was tapping at the window, so he crossed the room to let it in, watching as it landed on the table and watched him haughtily.

Draco took the letter from its talons and gave it a small treat, then watched it fly off and barred the window behind it. He went to his bedroom and sat at his desk, carefully opening the letter and unfolding it to read his son's first report from Hogwarts. He smiled to himself as he read it, until he reached the final paragraph. He stared in surprise at his son's blunt words and read the whole thing again, hardly believing what he was seeing.

Albus Potter, of all people. His son's new friend? Well, it seemed the world might really be coming to an end. A Potter and a Malfoy acting kindly to one another; it was unreal. Draco thought back to Potter's visit to his office at the beginning of the week. He hadn't been trying to insult the man, but he had immediately taken offense, like always, and things had gotten out of hand. He had appreciated the apology, but it just seemed easier to leave things between them exactly as they were. But now…

Well, he was going to have to think things through a little further.

_(And I'm going to end this first chapter right there. So tell me, does it sound interesting or am I talking out of my ass here? I'm hoping to have the epilogue to We Danced up soon, and then another chapter of this will be in the works. If you have any ideas for this, or for any different stories, let me know. I'm always open to reader suggestions. ^^ Please review!)_


	2. Chapter 2

_(All right, on to chapter two. As always, please, please review! It really makes my day to open my email and see what you guys have to say about my work. ^^ Time to see what's up with our boys since I left off with them a few nights ago…)_

By the time Monday rolled around again, Harry had come to a decision. Albus was a smart kid. He wouldn't have judged Scorpius as a good friend unless the boy truly was one. And he had made a very chilling point about the effects of old bias on parents and their children. It truly wasn't fair that a family could be completely cast out because of events that had taken place nearly two decades ago. There had to be a line, didn't there? Some way to judge when it was time to simply let it go?

Harry made his way to Malfoy's department, his resolve firm. He would apologize to the blonde again and try to settle things between them once and for all. Even if they couldn't be friends, they didn't have to be enemies. Maybe if the rest of the office saw him offering the olive branch to Malfoy, they would follow his example.

His thoughts were interrupted by the abrupt slamming of his body into somebody else's. "Sorry, sorry," he said immediately, stumbling back a step to see just who it was. Green eyes met gray, and Harry realized he had stumbled practically into the arms of Draco Malfoy, who was, now that the shock had worn off, looking quite annoyed. Harry realized why when a sheet of paper drifted gracefully past him and settled on the floor with the rest, all of which Malfoy must have been carrying when they had collided.

"You should watch where you're going, Potter," said Malfoy, dropping down to begin gathering his things. There wasn't much venom behind the words; he seemed to be saying them from habit rather than true anger. Harry found himself crouching down to help, shoving papers together quickly and gathering them into his arms. Malfoy shot him a brief look that was almost amused. "Please don't ravage my papers if that's your way of helping the situation."

Harry flushed, realizing that his messy stack was a far cry from the neat collection Malfoy had growing in the crook of one arm. "Sorry. I was… thinking. I got a letter from my son Albus over the weekend." He watched as something briefly flared in the blonde's eyes, then faded back into the usual emotionless mask once more.

"Same goes." Malfoy relieved Harry of the papers he was holding and added them neatly to his stack. Both men stood back up at the same time, their faces startlingly close together. They froze, staring at each other. Harry realized that Malfoy was several inches taller than he was, and he had to look up slightly to meet the blonde's gaze.

"Listen… I'm sorry." Gray eyes widened in surprise at the admission, especially given their location. They weren't safely closed into an office anywhere. They were in the hallway, surrounded by other people's offices. Anyone could overhear them right now and spread the word around to the rest of their coworkers, whatever the word might actually end up being. That Harry would choose to apologize here of all places made it much more meaningful, and based on the look on the blonde's face, he knew that as well as Harry did.

"I went off at you over something stupid, and I'm sorry. I didn't mean to insult you. You didn't deserve it." Malfoy's eyes were narrowed slightly, studying him with the utmost seriousness, and then they suddenly lightened, as if he had decided to believe Harry's words.

"It's all right, then, Potter." He shuffled his papers into a more comfortable position and breezed past Harry, glancing over his shoulder at the brunette. "You might want to loosen up a little in the future. Generally speaking, when someone calls you a hero they mean it as a compliment." He headed down the hall and turned right, quickly disappearing from sight.

Harry was left to stand there, watching him go. He shook his head and returned to his own office. Mission accomplished. The guilt was officially gone from his shoulders. He and Malfoy were back to neutral ground. But something about that infuriating Malfoy mask kept drawing his thoughts back to the blonde. What would it take to be allowed to truly see what lay beneath that icy façade?

_(Time skip)_

"Why don't you get lost, Malfoy?" A rough shove had the blonde's things scattering to the ground, another had him hitting the unforgiving stone wall. Scorpius scowled but held his tongue. Anything he tried to say would only serve to agitate his attackers further. He understood control. His father had schooled him on the importance of keeping his cool in situations like this. But it was difficult, extremely difficult.

"Yeah, get lost. Nobody wants you here."

"Not with your Dad being a filthy Death Eater."

"Maybe Malfoy's a Death Eater, too, like his scum father."

Scorpius snarled. Control be damned. Nobody insulted his father. "My father is not scum," he barked, and was backhanded in response, driven backwards into the wall once more. There would be bruises, he knew. The blonde's fists clenched and he stood his ground, but the blows came again and again until he was driven to his knees. Blood dripped from his split lip, breaking the sudden silence with the soft _plop_ of blood on stone.

"Hey, maybe we should check him and make sure he's not hiding a Dark Mark somewhere." Fear skidded up his spine like a car on an icy road, quick and out of control. Fingers buried in his hair and yanked, forcing a yelp out of the blonde boy as he was dragged somewhat upright, still on his knees but with his back arched.

"Hey, leave him alone!" All three bullies glanced up at the new arrival interrupting their fun. Scorpius felt relief and concern warring within him as he looked up and saw Albus approaching. He didn't want his new friend getting hurt because of these biased idiots, but he didn't like the alternative either. But, it was his problem to deal with, not Albus'. He would still respect the boy if he chose not to involve himself.

"And what're you going to do to stop us, first year?" sneered the largest guy, obviously their leader. Albus scowled, seemingly unintimidated by the three older boys that towered over him. Scorpius held his breath, waiting for the boy to turn around and leave him to his fate. It was what anyone else would do for him.

"My father is Harry Potter. He's taught me all his best tricks. So you'd better go before I do something horrible to all three of you." He whipped out his wand to further the threat, gesturing at them with it. He hoped to Merlin they couldn't see through his bluff, but the scared look on Scorpius' face gave him the courage to stand his ground. The three bullies seemed to hesitate, uncertain. Everyone knew who Harry Potter was. He was legendary, the defeater of the Dark Lord. It was absolutely possible that he had taught his son all his tricks. It seemed best to give up now and harass their victim more later when he was alone again.

Sneering, the three boys skulked off, trying to make it seem as though it had been their idea to do so all along. Albus kept his wand out, watching them fiercely, until they vanished from sight around a corner, and then he rushed over to Scorpius to check on his friend. "Are you okay?" he asked, fingers quickly brushing over him, searching for injuries. The small puddle of blood on the ground made him practically frantic. "Where are you hurt?"

Scorpius pushed the worried hands away, rising to his feet with the help of the wall that had bruised his back. "I'll live," he said, and rubbed at his scalp where he hair had been pulled. "They only roughed me up a little. It could have been worse."

Albus looked furious. "I can't believe them!" he shouted. "Who do they think they are?" Scorpius brushed himself off and winced, discovering places under his robes that were going to ache for days, he was certain.

"Their parents were on the right side during the war, or were probably harmed in some way by the Dark Lord and his Death Eaters. Since both my father and my grandfather were Death Eaters, I suppose they think it's safe to assume that I'm going to turn to Dark Magic as well." Scorpius wiped at his lip, hissing softly in pain. "I find it's easier to try and ignore them. Eventually they will get bored and find someone else to torment."

Albus still looked incensed on his friend's behalf. "We have to go tell Professor McGonagall. Scorpius, it's not fair that you get picked on and beat up just because of who your family is." The blonde rolled his eyes.

"Albus, some would say it's not fair that you get special treatment because of who _your_ family is. The world is not fair. Not the Muggle world, and not the Wizarding world." Scorpius brushed his fingers through his hair in an attempt to fix it.

"What happened to you to make you so disillusioned with the whole world already? We're only eleven, Scorpius." Albus' confused tone had Scorpius pausing, glancing at the brunette.

"When your whole world is ripped out from under you, it's easy to become just a little cynical, no matter how young." Scorpius turned away, intending to head back to his common room. A quick nap before Charms sounded nice.

"Scorpius." The boy paused once again, and looked back at Albus. "The world might not be fair, but we can do what we can to make it better." The brunette walked closer to stand beside his friend. "I'll walk back with you, that way nobody else messes with you." He waited, afraid Scorpius would decline. Te blonde smiled slightly after a moment, and slung his arm around Albus' shoulders. He held back a wince as his back complained at the movement, but the answering grin that burst onto Albus' face made the pain worth it.

"Thanks."

_(Time skip)_

"Scorpius Malfoy? Are you _serious_?" Harry sighed and rubbed his forehead.

"Ginny, really, you say that like he's the new Dark Lord. He's an eleven year old boy. And just because they all look the same does not make them all Lucius Malfoy." Ginny glared at him, marching over with their younger son's letter still held tight in one hand.

"The name Malfoy is synonymous with the Dark Lord, Harry, and has been for years. Lucius was his lackey during the first go-round, and he joined right back up again the second time. You saw how Draco Malfoy treated you – treated all of us – when we were in school. What's going to make this little brat any different?" Harry got up and snatched the paper from her hand, making her scowl deepen. But he could care less. It seemed like she was always scowling about something whenever he was around, anyway.

"We won't ever know, will we? But until I see some proof that Draco or Scorpius Malfoy have done anything wrong since the Dark Lord fell nineteen years ago, I bloody well won't treat them any differently than I do anyone else. And everyone else should do the same." He tossed the letter on the table by his chair and turned to face Ginny fully. "Did you even read the blasted thing, Ginny? Did you even try to see what your son had to say, or did the name jump out and that was all you could focus on?"

The red flush of shame – or perhaps it was anger – flooded his wife's face. "I can't be blamed for holding a grudge against the man who tried to kill all of us, who got me to do such awful things at such a young age."

"That man is in Azkaban, paying for his crimes. His son was acquitted, and his grandson has yet to do anything to anyone. Maybe you should read the letter, Gin. Learn a little something from a boy more than half your age." He turned away, ignoring Ginny as she called after him. He hoped she read the letter. Maybe it would shame her to know she was doing exactly what their son was so baffled and irritated by.

Harry was still angry about the argument the next day when he went into work. Ginny had apparently contacted Ron to complain all about it, because his friend was a no-show the whole day through. Still fuming, Harry gathered his things to go home when he saw a flash of blonde hair outside his door and jumped up, driven by a sudden urge to do something about the fury that had been building for almost twenty-four hours.

"Hey, Malfoy!"

The blonde turned, looking surprised for a moment, and then his features were schooled into their usual blandness. "Yes, Potter?"

The brunette skidded to a stop right in front of his coworker, slightly out of breath after running nearly all the way to the lift after him. "Listen, do you want to come get a drink with me?" Malfoy froze, and Harry felt a dark sort of pride in causing so much emotion in the usually controlled blonde. "I'm getting really damned tired of hearing about how evil you are from everyone around me. So prove them wrong."

It was the challenge in those green eyes that did it. Potter was clearly off his rocker, but Draco wasn't about to back down from a challenge, even when it was issued by a deranged man. "If you insist." He paused, and glanced down at Potter's empty hands. "Are you ready to go now or am I expected to wait awhile longer?"

Potter looked confused, until he looked down and realized he had left his belongings in his office. He flushed slightly. Draco was surprised by how cutely innocent the deadly Harry Potter looked with a blush to his cheeks. "Wait right here, Malfoy. I'll be right back." He raced off, and Draco quickly shook his head, disturbed by the errant thought. Of course Harry Potter was not cute. Just because he was into blokes didn't mean he had to go and be ridiculous about someone that he knew there was no way in hell he could ever be with.

Besides, Harry Potter had a wife and three kids. Even if he was gay, he definitely wasn't available. This sudden burst of… whatever this was, did not suddenly make them friends. Potter was out to prove a point, and Draco was merely getting dragged along for the duration. There were worse ways to spend a lonely weeknight, of course. He already knew that much from experience. Drinks with Harry Potter could not be worse than being stuck alone yet again at home. He would just endure this streak of Gryffindor madness and enjoy it while he could.

"Okay," puffed Potter, rushing back with his Auror robes on and his bag in hand, stuffed full with whatever papers he had been working on prior to apparently having his brilliant idea for the evening. "I'm ready to go." The men stepped onto the next lift together and rode to Level 8 to leave the Ministry for the day.

"So, do you have anywhere specific in mind, or will we have to find a place on the fly?" One eyebrow rose expectantly as he waited patiently for his answer. Potter shrugged after considering it for a moment or two.

"There are a couple places I've been before. One's a Muggle place, but the other two are run by wizards. Anthony's is just down the road from here. We could walk there."

Draco nodded. "Well, lead the way, then," he said with a wave of his hand. Potter made a face at him and then stepped through the fireplace, disappearing from sight. Draco followed behind him, feeling the eyes of their fellow Ministry workers following his every move as he was swept from the building and away.

It didn't take long at all to arrive at Anthony's. Harry pushed open the door and briefly worried that his plan would backfire when he recognized several men from the Ministry already sitting at a table sharing drinks. He waved when they caught sight of him, then glanced away. If he and Malfoy couldn't get along and had a blow up, it would make things worse, not better. He would simply have to make sure that nothing went wrong.

With that in mind, Harry made his way right up to the bar and sat, making sure that Malfoy was behind him the entire time. He tried not to think about the eyes that probably followed them. "Firewhiskey for me. You?" He glanced at Malfoy as the blonde perched on one of the stools beside him. He shrugged, and Harry requested a second Firewhiskey from the bartender.

"So, what provoked this sudden desire to be friends with me, Potter?" asked Malfoy after a moment of silence. Harry bit his lip, and then decided to just go with the truth. At least that way Malfoy couldn't get mad at him later for lying about anything.

"Apparently our sons are friends at Hogwarts. Something he said to me the other day… in the letter I told you about before, it just… it made me stop and think." He went on when Malfoy nodded. "Everyone always hated purebloods for being biased against half-bloods and muggleborns. But now we're doing the same thing to people like you, and it's not fair. So I'm trying to make things right the only way I know how."

Malfoy sat there for a moment while the bartender set their drinks in front of them. Harry paid for them and took a sip, waiting. "Scorpius told me about being friends with your son. I had wondered if you knew."

Harry nodded, and they sat in silence again for a few minutes, searching for a safe topic. He remembered the picture on Malfoy's desk and asked, "Is Scorpius going to try out for Quidditch next year?"

Malfoy nodded, and smiled a little. "He loves it. But he's already decided he wants no part of being Seeker. He's going to attend all the matches this year and figure out for sure what he wants to do. What about your son?"

Harry shrugged. "James is going to try out this year. He has his heart set on making the team. I don't know about Albus. He's more the type to sit back and watch. He's not overly competitive." Malfoy smirked.

"I wonder where he got that from." Harry had to agree that it was a little odd. Both he and Ginny loved Quidditch and had competitive streaks a mile wide. Granted, Ginny was even more competitive than he was, but still. He loved that about Albus, though. He was his own person. Of course, this brought him right back to his original point, which was that the sins – or virtues – of the parent did not necessarily belong to the child.

"I think he could do it if he had to, but he's just more laid-back than the other kids are. I can't fault him for it. He'll find something else he's good at when he's ready." Malfoy chuckled and took a drink from the bottle in front of him.

"It won't be Potions, though, apparently." Harry shook his head, trying not to blush.

"I never could get a good grasp on it. I guess I just don't have the patience." Malfoy shrugged lightly and gestured with his bottle.

"It does require patience, and a great deal of precision. You can't simply toss ingredients in at random. There's an order, a process. I always found it fascinating. The slightest misstep could make love potion into poison." Harry glanced at the blonde in surprise, hearing the slight wistful note in the taller man's tone.

"Why didn't you get a job where you could brew Potions, then, instead of at the Ministry, in our department of all places? You sound like you really enjoy it." Malfoy seemed to shake himself from his reverie and frowned.

"There were no positions available, especially not for someone like me. I jumped at the first opportunity that didn't turn me away because of the Mark." Harry scowled.

"And you just accepted that? That doesn't sound like you at all." Malfoy sighed, and drank from his bottle again. He was quiet for so long that Harry thought he wasn't going to bother answering the question at all.

"Everyone has changed since the war, Harry Potter. Everyone and everything." He looked over at the brunette. "We either adapt to the changing times or we die out. Fighting inevitably leads to disaster, especially when you start out on the losing side." Harry still didn't understand it. Malfoy had always been a stubborn prat, for as long as he could remember. He had fought against anyone that had ever gone against his word, in whatever way he could. He had been ruthless, even if he had almost always been wrong back then. And now...

"It's not right. I never really thought about it until I got Albus' letter, but it's just not right. We're doing exactly what the people we fought used to do. We haven't learned from our mistakes at all." He caught sight of the look on Malfoy's face and stopped. "What? What is it?" The blonde was staring at him, almost as if he couldn't believe his eyes.

"It's a bit odd hearing you, of all people, defending me. I assumed you would lead the march against me when I arrived, to be perfectly honest." Harry smiled at the blonde's bemused tone.

"Well, it just goes to show you can't always assume things about people, now can you?" Malfoy smiled slightly.

"I suppose so."

(Time skip)

All in all, Harry felt like it had been a successful evening. He and Malfoy had chatted for a bit, finished off their drinks, and parted ways outside. Harry made the blonde promise to meet him at least twice a week for drinks after work from now on, to work on getting to know each other better. Malfoy had tried to look annoyed, but he could tell that the man truly didn't mind. He had really seemed to be enjoying himself.

Just as Harry turned the knob on the front door, his mood soured as he heard noises within and realized that Ginny was probably still awake. He sighed and resigned himself to another fight, wondering how things had come to the point where he would rather sit in a bar with Malfoy than come home to his wife, and headed inside, following the noise to the sitting room, where Ginny had apparently knocked something over and had just righted or repaired it, her wand disappearing just as he came into the doorway.

"Well, you're home late." Ginny crossed the room, stopping to grab a sheet of paper from the table. Albus' letter again, he realized, and scowled. "No, no, don't look like that. Listen, I read it. I really read it, Harry." She touched his arm, and Harry relaxed slightly, thinking that perhaps they might make it through the night without a fight. "I still don't like it, but I realize we can't do anything about it. Albus is smart. If that Malfoy kid does something bad, Albus won't take part in it. If he doesn't, then Albus is fine to be friends with him. I guess."

Harry smiled, and Ginny relaxed further, like she had been worried he wouldn't believe her. "I think he'll be fine. Like you said, he's smart. I trust him to make the right decision. And James is always there to protect him, too. They might fight sometimes, but when it comes down to it they'll be there for each other." Harry kissed Ginny's forehead. "I'm going to write a quick reply to Albus and then I'm heading to bed. I'm exhausted."

Ginny nodded. "I was waiting for you to get home before I turned in. Don't be too long, all right?" Harry nodded, and watched as his wife left the room. He frowned slightly to himself as he realized that he felt not even the slightest sexual pull toward her anymore. Not even a little bit. Usually they were fighting too much for him to notice, but suddenly it just seemed to slap him in the face and he didn't like the sensation one bit.

Troubled, Harry sat and tapped his forehead with his quill a few times, bringing his thoughts back to Albus, wondering what exactly to say.

_Dear Albus,_

_I'm glad to hear that you're making new friends, and that you're getting help with Potions. Transfiguration is a great class. Headmistress McGonagall was teaching it when I was in school. I'm sure you'll do great when you start applying the spells you learn._

_You're absolutely right that it's not fair to treat others badly because of who their parents are or what their blood is. But people who grew up during the war and fought in it sometimes have a hard time realizing that. I don't care who you make friends with, as long as they're good people, it doesn't matter where they come from._

_Uncle Ron and everyone else will feel the same, I'm sure. I won't let them hate you for something silly like that._

_Write me back soon._

_Love,_

_Dad_

_(And so another chapter ends. I struggled with this one a bit, but the next one I'm hoping will come a bit easier. Let me know what you're thinking: review, review, review!)_


	3. Chapter 3

_(All right, part 3. Last chapter didn't really get much attention. Hopefully this one will. Please, please review! Please?)_

One morning, Malfoy didn't show up for work.

Not that Harry was overly worried about the other man, he was sure he could take care of himself. But it had been a month since Malfoy had begun working at the Ministry, and over the past two and a half weeks they had set up a sort of understanding between them that was almost like friendship. They met once during the week, depending on their schedules, and then every Friday for drinks at Anthony's to talk about their work or their children.

Harry couldn't call what they had 'friendship', though, because that was where the line was drawn. They never talked about anything overly personal, and there were frequent bouts of awkward silence between them sometimes, as if they were wary of what was up for discussion and what was still off limits.

What worried Harry, at least a little, was that Malfoy hadn't said anything about missing work. They had just had their up-in-the-air meeting the day before yesterday, on Monday. If Malfoy was going to miss work, Harry felt sure he would have said something. He did know that Malfoy and Bennett, another man from his department, had been sent yesterday to confiscate some magical item or another that had been brought to their attention. He didn't remember the details, but he did remember Malfoy mentioning it rather off-handedly. Hence his concern. Had something happened yesterday that was keeping Malfoy from work?

Harry glanced toward his open office door and spotted Ron passing by. He quickly hailed his friend, hoping for some news. The red-head popped into his office, looking curious. "Hey, Ron. Heard anything about Malfoy today?" Ron made a face briefly. Harry knew his friend didn't approve or understand what he was doing with Malfoy twice a week, but he had long since stopped trying to argue about it. Harry was determined, and nothing Ron said could persuade him.

"Just that he's staying home to recuperate after whatever job he was sent on yesterday." Ron brightened suddenly. "Think he was injured or something? That would be great! Maybe he'll be out the rest of the week." Harry scowled at him, and the grin diminished slightly. "Sorry, mate, but you're the only person here that seems to give a damn about him. You know that." He did, but that was what made him so angry. Sure, Malfoy had been a git in school, but not enough of one to deserve absolutely no friends this many years after the fact!

Ron went on his way, and Harry finished out the rest of the day distracted by his concern for Malfoy. When he wasn't being an arrogant prat, he was really an okay sort of guy. He had a very dry sense of humor and a very sharp wit that had actually gotten him to laugh on several occasions during their nights together. He hoped the blonde wasn't hurt too badly. But then, if he was, wouldn't he have gone to St. Mungo's rather than just staying at home?

The end of the day couldn't come fast enough for Harry, but his urgent run to the lift was abruptly halted when he realized that he had absolutely no idea where the blonde was living. He had mentioned that he no longer lived at the Manor, and his tone had brooked no questions, so Harry had asked none. But that left him with no way to find the blonde and check on him. Frowning, Harry trudged slowly the rest of the way to the lift, and eventually all the way home.

The next day, Harry escaped his office at the first opportunity to go and check on Malfoy, unable to contain himself for long. He darted around his coworkers as quickly as he dared, skidding to a stop at the blonde's office door, which was mostly shut. A gentle nudge had it swinging open. Gray eyes quickly lifted to meet his, his surprise obvious for a moment before, as usual, he tucked his emotions away. Harry was beginning to get just a bit tired of that blank-eyed stare. But he quickly skimmed the other man for injuries and found seemingly none. "Missed you yesterday," he said simply, tucking his hands in his trouser pockets.

He was surprised by the quick flash of emotion that passed over the blonde's face, like lightning in a storm. To stir such a reaction with a simple comment stirred Harry's instincts that something was not right with the blonde. But then, perhaps he was just lonely, and he enjoyed hearing that someone had missed his presence the day before. There was never any way of knowing for sure when it came to Malfoy.

Eventually, a small smirk curved his lips, and Malfoy said, "Same goes." It was a phrase he heard quite frequently from his almost-friend. It seemed the closest he would ever get to admitted to any type of emotion without having to actually say it. He was very tightly guarded against what might be perceived as weakness of any kind. "The simple confiscating job got a bit… complicated. I merely took a day to recover, as is my right as laid out in the contract I signed at the beginning of my employment, and now I am back and ready to work as usual."

Harry chuckled, enjoying the blonde's puzzled look at his reaction. "Sorry. It's the way you talk. Like you're trying to impress someone constantly." One aristocratic brow rose as gray eyes considered him closely.

"Perhaps I am." Harry wasn't sure what to make of Malfoy's rather cryptic response. Rather than try to figure it out, he began to turn away with a small wave.

"Whatever. I was just checking to make sure that you were okay. See you tomorrow, Malfoy." He left, and the door swung most of the way shut behind him.

Draco slumped back into his seat, having straightened as soon as he heard footsteps outside his door. Bloody hell, his back ached like he'd been trampled by a herd of elephants. Which, considering the overweight Bennett had been the one to actually tread there the day before yesterday, probably wasn't too far from the truth. But his contract allowed for only a single day to recover unless a healer at St. Mungo's prescribed otherwise, and no former Death Eater with half a brain went into that place willingly.

Draco sighed and glanced toward his picture of Scorpius, a small smile forming as it always did as he watched his son grin at him, carefree, from the frame, before zooming out of sight and returning again. Several more letters had come from Scorpius over the past few weeks, and he had written in return. His son acted as though everything was fine with him, but there was something about his last letter that continued to bother him.

Drawing the worn letter from his robe pocket, he gently smoothed it out in front of him on his desk and read over it once again.

_Dear Father,_

_Albus is extremely similar to how you described Harry Potter to me once. He does what is right, despite the risk to himself. I suppose that is why he was put into Gryffindor and not Slytherin. I'm continuing to help him with his Potions, and he's beginning to get a bit better at it. He would never survive on his own, though. Not yet._

_To answer your question, no, there don't seem to be any other purebloods here aside from myself. It appears they were all sent to different schools, or are being homeschooled. But I am enjoying myself here at Hogwarts, and I don't want to change despite the negative response of my classmates to my pureblood status._

_I was thinking that we could invite Albus over at some point during the holidays, with your permission._

_Your son,_

_Scorpius_

While the thought of having Harry Potter's son over for a visit to their home, or allowing Scorpius to go to the Potter household, was indeed disturbing, that wasn't what bothered him about the letter. He was glad Scorpius had a friend that he liked enough to want to see him even outside the school term, even if the actual friend was bound to be a troubling problem in the end.

No, it was the first couple of lines that had Draco worried. What had happened that allowed Scorpius to know just how Albus acted in a potentially dangerous situation? He had a feeling that his son would avoid the question or lie if he was confronted in a letter, but once they were together again he was confident he could get to the bottom of things.

Draco tucked the letter back out of sight and went back to his work, forcing his whirling emotions back and sealing them away tightly. He would worry about it later, when he wasn't on the clock. All he needed was to be caught doing something personal like writing a letter to his son while he was at work. He would be fired in a heartbeat.

_(Time skip.)_

"No, no, no." Scorpius stopped Albus with a hand on his shoulder and nudged him aside deftly. "Despite what you apparently believe, there is a very big difference between slicing something and chopping something." He demonstrated with the knife as Albus watched, preparing their ingredients with slow, sure strokes of the blade. "_You_ were chopping," he noted pointedly, glancing at the misshapen pile of roots in front of the brunette boy. "_I_ am slicing. The instructions call specifically for sliced dandelion roots."

Albus flushed slightly, but continued to watch as his partner carefully used the flat of the sharp blade to transfer the sliced roots into their cauldron, watching as the green bubbling mixture within quickly turned a pale yellow. Scorpius smirked, glancing at him, and Albus grinned. "Silly Gryffindor," he muttered, looking back to the cauldron, but Albus' smile didn't diminish. He was lucky to have Scorpius as his partner in class, along with being tutored by the blonde. He was sure to figure this stuff out in no time.

Professor Slughorn happened to pass their table at that moment as he made his rounds about the classroom, nodding with approval as he glanced into their cauldron. "Very, very good, boys!" he said loudly, drawing the attention of the rest of the class. "By far the best I've seen yet today. Keep at it!" He circled away, and the boys glanced at each other, pleased by the praise.

"We'll be top of the class in no time," said Scorpius, turning away to check the next set of instructions, having been keeping time in his head for how long to let the roots simmer undisturbed. "Here, slowly stir this clockwise twenty-seven times, no more or less. Circle the rim of the cauldron with the spoon; make sure they're full circles."

Albus took the spoon Scorpius gestured at him with, obeying. "I'd be bottom of the class without you," he muttered, trying to keep count in his head like he knew Scorpius did. _Six, seven eight._ He glanced at Scorpius, distracted by the sight of him carefully removing the petals from a Moly flower. The way his pale, elegant fingers gingerly plucked the colored sections from the plant was graceful. Albus knew if he'd tried to do it he'd have probably ripped the petals or something. He always felt clumsy around Scorpius, especially during Potions. But the blonde never made a big deal out of it, and he appreciated that.

Oh, Merlin. He'd lost count. "Ah, Scorpius…"

The boy spared him a quick glance. "Three more stirs, Albus. Honestly, pay attention." Albus flushed again and finished the stirring, pulling the spoon from the cauldron so Scorpius could add the Moly petals he had been working with. The potion changed colors again, this time to a deeper yellow, almost like gold.

Scorpius tossed his head, removing the blonde locks from his eyes that had fallen there while he'd been working, and glanced at Albus, smiling as he relaxed now that their work was complete. He envied his friend that ability, as well, to focus so completely on something without any distraction. He apparently got it from his father, or so Scorpius had once told him when he'd commented on it. "All finished, Professor."

Professor Slughorn was quick to cut short whatever conversation he'd been having elsewhere and hurried to their table, peering into their cauldron with excitement. "Absolutely marvelous!" he cried. "Well done, Mr. Potter, Mr. Malfoy, you've perfectly recreated the Beautification Potion. You are free to go."

Both boys quickly gathered their things and departed. "Well, we've got a bit of free time now since we got out of Potions early," said Albus, hitching the strap of his bag more firmly onto his shoulder as they climbed the stairs out of the dungeons. "What's your common room like?" he asked suddenly, remembering that the Slytherin house was actually based down in the dungeons. He couldn't imagine staying in such a gloomy place all the time, but Scorpius didn't complain, so he had never really thought about it before that moment. But then, Scorpius never complained. Not ever, really, about anything at all.

"It's comfortable, probably not too different from yours except for the colors," said Scorpius with a shrug. "I like the rooms. We can't open our windows because they actually open out into the lake, but the view's pretty in the daytime. You can see things swimming out there." Albus shuddered, unable to help himself.

"Aren't you afraid they'll try to break the glass and get at you or something?" Scorpius rolled his eyes, snorting.

"They've placed protective spells on the glass, of course. Probably. No one's ever heard of it happening before, so I doubt it would happen now. I'm not worried." They walked along for a few moments in silence.

"I've told my father that I'd like it if you could come visit over the holidays." Albus faltered, and then sped up to catch up with his blonde companion, standing next to him on the landing that led out of the dungeons.

"Really? I thought he hated my dad, though." Not that Albus didn't appreciate the offer, but if their fathers were just going to fight the whole time, it probably wasn't the best idea in the world. "I mean, I'd love to come, but…"

Scorpius scowled. "My father is more than capable of controlling himself, Albus. He's not a bad person like everyone thinks he is." Albus' eyes widened.

"Merlin, I know that. I'm not saying anything bad about him." The best way to make Scorpius mad was to insult his father. Albus knew better than to ever even slightly insinuate something negative about the older blonde. "My dad kind of hates your father, too. It just seems best not to force them together, you know?"

Scorpius' mouth was still drawn into a frown, obviously discouraged by Albus' negative response to the invitation, rather than being excited as he had probably expected. "If you're not interested, there's no reason to make excuses. Just say so." Scorpius avoided the brunette's gaze as he fell back a few steps, away from the door. "I'm going to go to my common room. I'll see you in Transfiguration later." He turned away, ignoring Albus as he pled with the boy to wait and let him explain, and quickly rushed back down the stairs.

Albus slumped against the wall, feeling suddenly very guilty. Scorpius had extended an invitation to him, and he had rejected his friend. It was little wonder the blonde had fled. He should have accepted and then discussed their parents. Surely some sort of agreement could be reached between the older men, just for a short time over the holidays? Their rivalry couldn't be so bad that they couldn't withstand a few hours in the same building, could it?

Uncertain, Albus glanced down the stairs where Scorpius had gone, and then pushed open the door and stepped out into the corridor. He decided he would run back to his own common room and write a letter to his father, proposing Scorpius' idea, and see what he said. Maybe Scorpius would forgive him if he made an effort to make these plans for their vacation work out. Provided he still wanted to now, of course.

The thought made Albus pause, making him frown. He had never seen the Slytherin boy so angry at him before. Annoyed, yes, but never really angry. Not at him. They were friends. Determined, Albus began to run for the Gryffindor Tower.

_(Time skip)_

Harry shook himself. Ginny had been talking for the last ten minutes and for the life of him he couldn't recall a single word she had said. "What?" he asked, realizing she was silent, probably waiting for an answer or response of some kind from him. Ginny looked annoyed by his inattention. Nothing new there, of course.

"Merlin, Harry, pay attention. I was talking about tonight." Harry tensed.

"What about tonight? I already have plans, Gin, I told you." Ginny rolled her eyes, and he resisted the urge to roll his right back. Like her plans were so much more important than his.

"Yes, your usual plans to go to the bar, I know. But for once, can't we do what I want?" Harry's hands curled into fists under the table. He absolutely hated it when she said things like that. He really, really hated it.

"When do you not get to do whatever you want, Ginny? Just because I'm doing my own thing doesn't mean you can't go do yours. You'll just have to go alone. It's Friday night, Malfoy and I always –" Whoops. He watched as fury flooded his wife's face, and he wondered briefly if it was a family trait to be able to turn nearly as red as their hair when they were angry.

"Malfoy? That's who you go out and get drinks with twice a week? Draco Malfoy? Bloody hell, you're choosing him over me?" Harry rubbed his forehead with one hand, feeling a throbbing headache begin to bloom in his temples.

"It's not a matter of choosing him over you; it's a matter of principle. Malfoy and I agreed that every Friday we would meet, and the other weeknight would be up in the air, whatever night we both had free. I can't go back on my word to him now. It'd be different if you'd said something days ago, but it's tonight. It's a little rude to just back out all of a sudden." Ginny didn't look at all appeased.

"_Rude_? It's Draco bloody Malfoy we're talking about here." Harry shook his head and stood. "Where are you going? We're not finished here."

Harry paused, one hand on the back of his chair. "Yes, we are. I'm going out tonight with Malfoy, same as usual. You can go to whatever the hell your thing is or not, I could care less." He pushed under his chair and headed for the door, dragging his Auror robes on as he went.

"What about Lily?" Harry paused, glancing back at her.

"What were you going to do with her while we went together to whatever your thing was? I'm sure Ron and Hermione would be fine watching her, same as usual. If not, you know your mother will. It's not like there's a short supply of available babysitters." Harry grabbed his bag and rushed out the door, eager to get to work and away from the stress of his home life.

As he walked, he wondered how Malfoy was getting by; if his wife cared that he went out two nights a week. Did she harass him daily about his schedule and prod at him to do things with her all the time? Doubtful. There was probably some sort of rule against it. Malfoys don't bitch incessantly, or something like that.

By the time he got to work and was seated in his office, his mood was slightly improved. The day went by rather quickly, and by the end of it Harry was looking forward to his night out with Malfoy. He planned to try and broach more personal subjects tonight, mainly their wives. Considering they talked about their children frequently, it seemed only natural that they would progress to talking about their wives eventually. With the mood Harry was in, tonight seemed like a perfect night to take that next step.

Malfoy was waiting for him at the lift, same as usual. Somehow, despite the fact that his office was further away, he always managed to beat Harry there. "Ready to go?" he asked, and Harry nodded, stepping with him into the crowded lift. It didn't take them very long at all to make the familiar trek to Anthony's and take their usual seats at the bar, both with a bottle of Firewhiskey, same as every night they spent there.

Harry felt himself completely relax as soon as he took his first sip. "Godric, I needed this," he muttered. Malfoy arched a brow and glanced at him sideways.

"Rough week, eh?"

Harry groaned. "Rough morning, more like. Ginny's about to drive me mad always complaining about one thing or another."

Malfoy nodded sympathetically and took a pull from his bottle. "Mm. I can imagine the She-Weasel isn't an easy witch to live with, especially for as long as you have." Harry laughed. Somehow, it helped to hear Malfoy using the familiar insult.

"Her name's Ginny, Malfoy. Or Ginevra if you're being picky." Malfoy waved a hand, dismissing him, and Harry laughed again. "Seriously, she's not that bad sometimes. We got along really well in the beginning. It just seems like things are going downhill now. We argue more than anything else, lately." He took another sip from his bottle, frowning. "What about you? You married that Greengrass girl, right? Daphne's little sister?"

Malfoy snorted. "Please, Potter. Try to stay with the times. I divorced that bint a year ago." Harry gaped, and Malfoy snickered. "Astoria Greengrass was a greedy little witch who saw me as nothing more than a way to have money and fame. All she had to do was bear me a child to carry on the Malfoy line. Once Scorpius was born, she moved into a separate wing of the house and we paid each other no mind except for when necessary. When Scorpius was ten we finally decided enough was enough and went our separate ways."

Harry ran his fingers through his hair. "Wow. I had no idea. I stopped reading the _Prophet_ ages ago." He glanced down, then back at Malfoy. "How did Scorpius take the news?" Malfoy shrugged and gave a tiny shake of his head.

"He took it perfectly well, actually. Astoria was never much of a mother to him. She wasn't cut out for the job. We don't talk about her much because neither of us misses her." Both men were quiet for a moment.

"So what do you do now?" Malfoy arched a brow, smirking, and Harry laughed, quickly shaking his head. "I mean, do you date? Are you looking for a second wife? Do you and Scorpius have any kind of… you know, understanding about it?"

Malfoy actually laughed, and the sound made Harry pause. Malfoy almost never laughed, ever. "Salazar, what's with this sudden interest in my love life, Potter? Are you checking out your competition?" The blonde winked, and Harry felt his face flush. Merlin, had Malfoy had more to drink than he'd realized? It seemed like the man was flirting with him. But that was absolutely ridiculous. Not only was it Malfoy, but it was, well, a man. Harry definitely wasn't gay.

Harry's blush deepened. "I was just wondering because this morning Ginny and I argued about me coming here tonight. She made a big deal about me choosing a night at the bar with you over an evening with her, and if I'm honest with myself, she's right. I'd much prefer a bottle of Firewhiskey and your sarcasm to whatever fancy night out Ginny probably tried to set me up for tonight. Call me simple, but it's just…"

Malfoy was giving him an odd look, a mixture of disbelief and pleasure swirling in the molten silver eyes. "It's all right, Potter." He turned back to his Firewhiskey, taking a quick swallow. "I know the feeling." Green eyes met gray for a seemingly endless moment.

"Scorpius wants to have Albus over for a visit during the holidays. I wanted to mention it to you before I wrote back to him." The moment was over, but something had changed between them. Harry was sure of it. He decided not to press for now, though. Malfoy had given up much more information than he could have dared hope for. For tonight, he would be content.

"That's fine with me. Ah, Ginny probably wouldn't want to come along, but at the very least I'm sure Albus and I could come over some afternoon, let them have a little time. We could see if we like each other as much in the afternoon as we seem to in the evenings." Malfoy's eyes took on a glint, like he was holding back a comment that Harry might not particularly care for. He had gotten good at reading the blonde over the past month.

"Sounds good, then. We'll have to figure out the details when it's a bit closer to the actual time." Malfoy glanced at him once again. "Sounds like we'll have to buy each other a Christmas present now."

The dry comment struck something inside Harry, and he laughed until he feared he'd fall off his seat.

_(All right, one more chapter down, an untold number yet to go. I already know how it ends, but the path there is unclear, so I can't tell you just how long this one will be yet. Hopefully quite a bit longer. I'm enjoying the jumping from scene to scene, couple to couple. It's very fun. ^^ I hope all my lovely readers are enjoying this as much as I am. Review, review, review! PLEASE! Umm, if you do, you can have a cookie. I've seen other writers offer such enticements before, so let's see if it works. XD)_


	4. Chapter 4

_(All right, I struggled again. Shizu66 made a good point about the people I keep leaving out, but it's just because I'm not as good at those characters. So I'm making the attempt here, and I really hope it doesn't suck as bad as I think it's going to. Hopefully it will turn out okay and everyone will enjoy it. Keep up the criticism and comments, guys! Really, they really help me! Please, please, please review!)_

"Oi, Albus, where's your Slytherin shadow?"

Albus slumped down at the Gryffindor table for dinner and shot a dark look down the table at the boy who had spoken. It had been days, nearly a week, since Scorpius had gotten upset and left him in the dungeon, and the blonde refused to accept his apologies or speak to him at all aside from what was necessary in class. It was extremely frustrating, and the unsympathetic harassment of his peers wasn't helping.

"Don't listen to them, Albus." Across the table, Anthony Longbottom poked at his food with his fork and glanced down the table at the boy that had made the comment. "I figure you must have a good reason for bothering with Malfoy, even if his father is a git. Even my dad said so, and he never talks that bad about anyone, really."

Albus perked up, realizing that Professor Longbottom would have to know about Scorpius' dad, because they had gone to school together. If anyone would be able to talk to him about the Malfoy family, maybe it would be him. It had completely slipped his mind that Anthony's dad was the same age as his own father. Possibly because Herbology wasn't exactly his favorite class, and he generally tried to just get through as quickly as possible. Up until the fight, his favorite class had been Potions, because he got to work so closely with Scorpius.

But today was Wednesday, and he'd already had his Herbology class for the day. The only class he had left was Astronomy tonight at midnight. And he had that class with Scorpius, too. Come to think of it, the blonde was in nearly every class he had. The only thing that was swapped for them was Charms and Transfiguration.

Albus sighed. "Thanks, Anthony." The dark-haired boy nodded and returned to his meal, his attempt at comforting his fellow Gryffindor complete.

Albus glanced away, thinking about Flying next class, and the torture of another shared class with Scorpius that would have nothing but silence and awkwardness between them. He straightened when he realized the blonde in question was coming in for lunch at that moment, apparently running late. His robes were rumpled and there were papers and a book peeking out of his bag, as if he had shoved the contents in quickly.

He had probably been jumped again. Ever since the fight, he and Scorpius hadn't been walking together, so the bullies had probably picked back up their tormenting of the Slytherin boy. He had seen the bruises himself a couple days ago when Scorpius had pushed up his sleeves in Potions. He'd tried to ask about them, but had been coldly ignored. Pride, apparently, was more important than safety when it came to Scorpius Malfoy.

"Hey there, little brother." James plopped down on the bench next to Albus, fixing himself a plate. "Still giving little Malfoy the eye?" Albus shrugged and prodded a chunk of potato with his knife, frowning as he watched the blonde take his seat at the Slytherin table.

"I keep telling him I'm sorry, but he won't listen." James had been curiously supportive when he had explained the situation to him after the fight, even though he had been one of the worst about teasing him in the beginning. He still annoyed his brother about being best mates with a snake, but when it came down to it he had Albus' back, and the younger brunette appreciated his brother for it. He might be an annoying prat most of the time, but Potters stuck together, and apparently James had decided that now was one of those times.

"Well, he got upset because you didn't say yes when he invited you over to visit him for Christmas, right?" Albus nodded, looking away from Scorpius and up to his brother instead. "And you keep apologizing, but he refuses to listen, right?" Albus nodded again. "Well, call me crazy, this is a Slytherin Malfoy we're talking about here. But maybe he's waiting for you to invite him over instead, or something like that."

Albus considered the older boy's idea as he looked back across the room at Scorpius. He wasn't eating, just poking at his plate, his head supported by his hand, elbow braced on the table. He looked rather miserable, to be perfectly honest. Suddenly, the blonde lifted his head, and their eyes locked. Albus refused to look away, holding the other boy's gaze until the blonde looked back down at his plate, resuming his picking.

"I'll try that. Thanks, James." His brother mussed his hair roughly.

"Yeah, I'm brilliant, I know. Don't you ever forget it, either. One of us has to be the brains, obviously, and since you're so clearly dim-witted, it looks like it's up to me." Albus nudged him with his elbow, but he couldn't help but smile. Maybe today he would finally be able to put things to rights between him and Scorpius. He missed his best friend.

_(Time skip)_

Something had to be done.

Draco kicked back a bit in his chair and assessed the situation. Harry Potter, the Gryffindor Golden Boy, was quickly becoming the only true friend that he had in the whole world, as soppy and Hufflepuff-ish as that sounded. Albus Potter was, according to his son's letters, rapidly becoming the same to Scorpius. As unlikely as that was, it was true.

The big problem was that Potter apparently never read the newspaper, ever. Not any of them, and not any magazines, either. He was completely ignorant to whatever news was not spoon fed to him by a friend or family member. It was the only way to explain how he had been unaware of the fact that he, Draco Malfoy, had been divorced for over a year.

That meant, of course, that it was entirely possible that Potter also didn't know that the Malfoys were in a tight money situation. And it needed to stay that way. He enjoyed having Potter as his friend, and the last thing he wanted was to become the Chosen Hero's newest charity case. It was bad enough their friendship had started out as a way to prove a point to their coworkers. If Potter started trying to help him with bills or Merlin knew what else, he might just explode. Or die of shame. Either way seemed extremely unappealing.

That meant that when they came to visit for the holidays, he would have to make sure there were no hints about their impoverishment anywhere. The paperwork would have to be carefully hidden; the food would have to be spectacular, as would the decorations. Salazar, he might even need to spell their home to appear larger just so Potter wouldn't be suspicious about the cozy little house where he and Scorpius now lived.

Draco rested his hands on the arms of his chair and sighed. There were still plenty of Galleons in the bank, but Scorpius was a growing boy. He would need new robes every year, not to mention books, and he would need Quidditch gear for next year and spending money when he started going to Hogsmeade. A child was extremely expensive, and while they had plenty of money now, they needed to save what they could for those sorts of expenses. He wasn't bringing in nearly enough money to replace all that they would spend over his son's school years, and they still had taxes and bills to pay regularly in order to remain as they were now, with a roof over their heads and food in the pantry, and clothes on their backs, as well.

There was nothing for it. He would simply have to make up for it somehow elsewhere. He refused to throw a substandard party for when the Potters came for Christmas. More importantly, he refused to allow Scorpius to come home to a less than perfect Christmas. Just because their living situation had changed didn't mean his boy deserved less than the best for his holiday. Determined, he sat up and returned to his work, already thinking about overtime and his next mission with Bennett. He would have to make sure not to get hurt this time. He couldn't afford to lose even a day's worth of pay. Even if the other man snapped his back clean in two, he would have to show up for work. It was a small price to pay for his son's happiness.

Across the floor, in his own department, Harry was lost in thought. Ginny was insisting that he take Lily out tonight for a sort of father-daughter thing, because he'd been working so much lately and she felt like he wasn't spending time with her. And he would admit, he worked late some nights. He sometimes was late for dinner. Once or twice he had missed out on saying goodnight to Lily. But it had never been a big deal to Ginny before.

No, he was fairly sure this was more about the fact that tonight was his drinking night with Malfoy, and she was trying to ruin it in the nicest possible way. He was sure Malfoy would understand, though, if he just explained the situation to him. He had a child himself, after all, and according the blonde his wife had been just awful, so he would know a little something about what he was going through. And they would still be able to meet up on Friday, same as always.

Harry kept trying to sneak over to Malfoy's office to let him know that they would have to change their plans, but every time he even thought about standing from his desk, somebody or something intercepted him. It was getting rather frustrating. Even when the day was over, and he tried to rush to the lift to meet up with Malfoy as usual, there were people in his way, slowing him down, wanting to have a quick word.

After enough 'quick words', he had been delayed by nearly a half hour, and he was unsurprised to find that Malfoy had given up on waiting for him at the lift. He relaxed slightly. Maybe the blonde had realized something was wrong and had decided to cancel for the evening. He would explain better tomorrow. He was confident the other man would be able to understand once he heard the full story. He had seemed completely sympathetic the last time when they had talked about dealing with insensible wives.

Harry went home without another thought for his blonde coworker. Ginny seemed to be in a fairly good mood, probably because Harry had played along with her little game and agreed to spend the evening as she saw fit. Not that he didn't enjoy being with Lily, but it was the principle of the thing, and he knew Ginny knew that as well as he did.

Lily's excitement at going out and spending the evening with her father helped to cool Harry's ire toward Ginny. It really was good to get to spend time with her. After the way she had acted when the boys had left for school, she was probably feeling left out and rather lonely. She still had two years before she would be able to go to Hogwarts herself.

Dinner at Lily's favorite restaurant and a walk through the park afterward was, in fact, a fairly pleasant way to spend the evening. And since Ginny had stayed at home, there had been no fighting at all. Just a peaceful evening, him and his daughter. "Dad."

Harry looked down at Lily where she walked beside him. "What is it, sweetheart?"

"Is Albus really friends with a… umm… evil, no-good, low-down Slytherin prat?" she asked, clearly reciting something she had heard somewhere else. Harry rolled his eyes. Even from his nine-year-old daughter he got questions about the Malfoys.

"No, he's not. Scorpius Malfoy is not any of those things, except perhaps a Slytherin." And possibly a prat, if he was anything like his father had been at that age. "Where exactly did you hear that from?" Not that he couldn't guess.

"I heard Mom having a Floo-call with Uncle Ron the other day. About you and Albus and the Malfoys. I was just wondering if she was telling the truth." Harry sighed and stuck his hands deep in his trouser pockets.

"Scorpius Malfoy's father was mean to us when we were in school. Your Mom and your Uncle Ron and a bunch of other people are still mad at him for that, and so they're mad at Scorpius Malfoy, too. But I think they're wrong, and that's why your Mom is mad at me, too." He leaned down and gave her a quick hug. "You don't worry about any of that bloody nonsense, all right? You just worry about your brothers coming home for Christmas in a couple months."

Lily smiled up at him. "Okay, Dad."

Across town, Draco's evening wasn't going half so well.

Sitting alone at Anthony's with a Firewhiskey in his hand, he frowned down at the bar in front of him, absently following the path of numerous scars in the wood surface. He had never noticed them before because usually he spent the whole evening looking at Harry.

The mere thought of the other man had a sneer curling the blonde's lips. Sure, and he'd let himself be fooled all too easily. A few weeks of kind words and he thought he was in, that he could possibly be friends with Harry Potter.

But no, tonight had made that very clear. Without even a brief memo, the smallest note, the slightest word, he'd been stood up. Draco shook his head and took a deep swallow from the bottle in front of him. Ha, 'stood up' would imply that they had had a date. They were just… friends. Apparently, not even that.

Draco drained the bottle and scowled. His son was best friends with the son of the Chosen Hero, and he, the father, was that same man's… what, plaything? A passing fancy that would be tossed aside as soon as some other charity case showed up? That's what he was!

The thought washed through him and left him hollow, like he'd swallowed acid. Harry Potter saw him as a charity case, a man with no wife, no friends, and no one to keep him company while his son was off at Hogwarts. Harry had been taking care of him. Even though he had been oblivious to Draco's money situation, he had still ended up seeing the blonde man as someone that needed his sympathy and pity. Well, he could keep it.

Either way, it seemed the requisite drinks and soul-searching had done their job, and Potter was now giving him the boot, his kind work done. So be it. At least he was lucky enough that he had never been stupid enough to mention anything more personal than his son and his lack of a wife, neither of which had been all that secret.

Perhaps he had gone a bit deeper than the news articles had in saying that Scorpius liked Quidditch, particularly the position of Keeper, or that Astoria was as frigid in bed as she had been anywhere else: extremely so.

If Potter had learned about his preference for blokes, for instance, or perhaps how delectable Draco found that mussed black hair and glittering green eyes… The blonde sighed and buried his head in his hands.

Life officially couldn't get any worse.

_(Time skip)_

"Scorpius."

No answer.

"Psst. Scorpius."

Silence.

"Scorpius, you can't ignore me forever." Albus didn't dare raise his voice above a whisper lest their conversation be overheard. Everyone else was equally quiet, occasionally checking their telescopes to search the skies for something to chart and murmuring to the students beside them. Thank Merlin Astronomy was only once a week. He didn't think he could be up so late very often throughout the week without suffering for it in his other classes.

Scorpius said nothing, merely made a small note on his parchment and turned back to his telescope. Albus finally felt the first bubble of temper at the blonde's apparent indifference to his pleading and apologizing.

"Listen, I've said I'm sorry like a thousand times. I really, really want to come over for the holidays. I was just worried that things might go wrong between our dads and I let that get in the way of me being excited." Scorpius' frown seemed to soften slightly, but maybe that was just the way the moonlight was hitting his face.

"Look, if you don't want me to come over anymore, at least come over to visit me instead." That finally caught the Slytherin's attention. He lowered his telescope and looked over at Albus, his expression a cross between hope and wariness. Albus held his breath, hoping that James had been right and that this, finally, would work.

"Aren't you worried about our fathers this time?" he asked scathingly. Albus ignored the biting tone. He deserved it for hurting his friend.

"No. They can grow up and deal with it. You're my best friend, Scor. I want you over for the holidays." He felt pleased to see a faint blush bloom on the other boy's face. He would have to remember to thank James again later.

"I think my father would be more comfortable on his own turf, so to speak. But I appreciate the offer. You're still welcome to come by for Christmas, you and your father. And your other siblings, too, if you think they would be able to handle it." The blonde's brows drew together. "I won't have my father taking abuse in his own home."

Albus nodded quickly, not willing to let this opportunity slip away. "We'll figure something out," he said happily. He slung his arm around the Slytherin's shoulders and gave him a quick hug. "I'm glad we're not fighting anymore."

Scorpius winced at the tight embrace, but smiled, amused and touched as always by Albus' touchy-feely ways of expressing himself. The wince brought Albus' concern back in full force. "Are you hurt? You are, aren't you?"

Scorpius shook his head, quickly hushing the other boy with his hand. "I'm fine," he promised quietly. "But let's walk together again from now on, okay?" When he received a nod, he seemed to relax. Albus sighed.

"Silly Slytherin," he said, and grinned as the blonde scoffed softly and returned to his telescope, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. He leaned a little closer to compare his star chart to Scorpius', and felt the last of the tension in him melt away as a casual brush of the elbow from the blonde scooted it closer for him to read more easily. He grinned and started to copy the observations onto his own chart. Things were back to normal.

James was still awake when he got back to the Gryffindor common room, lounging on the couch with a bag of Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans, absently stuffing them into his mouth and making pleased or disgusted faces by turns. The other first years quickly headed up to their rooms to sleep, but Albus hung back, wanting to give his brother the good news.

"James, your idea worked," he said happily, plopping down on the comfy chair close to James' feet. "Scorpius and I made up, and he reinvited me to come over for the holidays." James glanced up from his magazine briefly, rolling his eyes.

"Didn't I tell you it would work, thickhead? Heh, it's like you doubt my awesome brilliance." Albus gave an absent kick at his brother's dangling feet, but he didn't put much effort behind it. He was in too good a mood to try and hurt James, especially since his advice had been what finally fixed things for him and Scorpius.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. I was just keeping you updated." James waved him off distractedly, going back to his magazine and his sweets.

"I guess this means it'll be back to Albus Potter and his Slytherin shadow," commented James as Albus got up and started toward the stairs. The younger brunette froze for a moment, and then turned back, considering.

"Yeah. Yeah, I guess so." The title had always irritated him before, but now he found he didn't mind it quite so much as usual. "Night, James." His older brother grunted at him in return, and he headed upstairs chuckling softly to himself. Yes, things were definitely going back to normal. Albus couldn't have been happier.

_(Time skip)_

"How am _I_ the bad guy in this?" demanded Ginny sharply.

Harry scowled and gestured toward the hallway where their daughter was tucked in and fast asleep. "Keep it down," he reminded her harshly. "And yes, you're definitely the bad guy in this. You and Ron. He's Albus' age, Ginny. When have you known Albus to do anything even remotely horrible to anyone?" Ginny shook her head dismissively.

"You can't compare our Albus to that… that… spawn of Malfoy," she snapped, her cheeks flaming red with anger.

Harry clenched his teeth. "For Godric's damn sake stop referring to Malfoy like he's some kind of disease or something. There's nothing wrong with him now. Back then, yeah, he was a git. But he's changed now. He's not who he once was."

Ginny snorted. "He was raised by evil to _be_ evil, Harry. You don't just grow out of that. It's not just some kind of childhood phase."

Harry rubbed his temples and groaned softly. "You weren't there, Ginny. All of you with your condescending attitudes and witty remarks. None of you had to face him like I did, over and over and over. Malfoy lived with that in his home, because his father was a psychotic arse that couldn't see beyond his own pure blood."

Looking back, he had never taken what the blonde had been through into account, never. Draco Malfoy had merely been Malfoy, the blonde Slytherin Prince and the prat that made all their lives hell. The son of a Death Eater, soon turned into one himself. But ever since he had started working with the blonde, he had started thinking about it. Malfoy was not a bad person. If he was, he would have killed Dumbledore. He would have turned them over to the Death Eaters at the Manor. He had more than proven that he was not evil. Misguided, snobbish, and too sarcastic for his own good, yes. But definitely not evil.

Harry lowered his hands from his head to meet Ginny's gaze directly. "I don't care how you feel about him. I can't stop you or Ron or anyone else from hating his guts. But I won't have you planting those thoughts in our kids' heads, too." Ginny looked like she was going to make a smart remark, but Harry barreled right on through, determined to finish what he had to say. He was truly sick of hearing the same thing over and over

"Albus and Scorpius are best mates, just like Ron and I are, just like we used to be. I've said it a thousand times, and I'll say it again: until I see that child or his father do some terrible wrong to prove you right, I will never treat them that way again. It's been far too long to continue punishing them for these past crimes. If you were smart, you'd start acting the same way." She would only look that much more like a fool when the Malfoys finally got their chance to prove that they weren't as evil as everyone believed them to be.

Ginny was turning almost purple she was so furious. Harry couldn't bring himself to care. She stalked off ranting about how he was touched in the head, how Malfoy must have cursed him somehow into thinking like this. Her final words were to banish him to the couch until further notice, and then their bedroom door slammed, locking him out. Harry didn't care, and that bothered him. His biggest worry was that the couch was uncomfortable, not that Ginny was kicking him out of their bed for an indefinite period of time.

Harry got a spare blanket from the hall closet and slid into his favorite chair instead of the couch, propping up his legs until he was fairly comfortable. Another day, another screaming match with his wife.

As he drifted off to sleep, he couldn't help but wonder if maybe Malfoy had the right idea in getting a divorce…

_(Okay, finally. The holidays are really eating up all my time and this took forever to crank out. God knows when the next one will be done. Probably not until after the 25__th__. I'll do what I can, but that's probably how it's going to end up. Wanna know how to make me write faster? Review! Every time I get a review, I get the urge to write more, so I can earn even more feedback and reviews! So review lots and lots, and maybe I'll get chapter 5 up as a Christmas present to all my lovely readers.)_


	5. Chapter 5

_(Well, here it is. I read back and I felt like James took on a Prussia-ish sort of attitude, lol. I hope to God that at least one of my readers picks up that Hetalia reference and that I don't look like an idiot now. Google it. It's hilarious.  
Anyway, now that I look stupid, here's chapter 5! More awesome feedback from my awesome readers has helped me to make this chapter possible, even if I didn't quite make it for the holidays. So keep reviewing, please, please, please!  
Oh, and Merry/Happy (late!) Christmas/Holidays, my lovely readers!)_

It didn't occur to Harry until the next morning that he could have easily slept in one of the guest bedrooms last night after being kicked out of his own bed by Ginny. He was no worse for wear after the night spent in the chair aside from a small kink in his back, though, so he wasn't too worried about it. He had been tired and hadn't felt like dealing with it the night before. Tonight he would definitely take a guest bed, if Ginny didn't change her mind about locking him out of their bedroom, anyway. He had a pretty good feeling that it wouldn't come to that.

Ginny was already awake, he quickly discovered, when he realized that their bedroom was unlocked to allow him to shower and dress for work. He could hear her in the kitchen, probably making breakfast – though after last night he should probably worry that she was going to do something awful to his plate before giving it to him – when he finally finished and came out of the bedroom. As much as he hated the idea of having to deal with his wife this morning after their fight last night, he didn't intend to go to work hungry, either.

Harry entered the kitchen, but rather than being blasted with insults and anger, he was sent only one furious glare and met with strained silence. Lily was already awake and sitting at the table, smiling when she saw her father. "Good morning," she said brightly. "I woke up early today." Harry didn't have to work too hard to force a smile in return. Seeing Lily so happy, and so unexpectedly, was hardly a hardship for him.

"I see you did," he said, and leaned in to kiss her forehead gently. Harry took his seat across from Lily as Ginny pushed him a plate of food, although a little more forcefully than was necessary. If Lily hadn't been there, he didn't doubt it would have ended up on his lap. He didn't comment on it, merely glancing at her for a moment before digging in. Breakfast was pleasant despite Ginny's glowering over Lily's head, and Harry left for work in a fairly good mood.

When he arrived, everything seemed to be business as usual. Aside from being kicked out of his own bed, his life was going fairly well at the moment. News from Albus and James was good; Malfoy seemed to be less of a git and was actually becoming a pretty good friend; work was even going smoothly for once. Ignoring Ginny, he really couldn't complain.

Harry was in such a good mood, he decided to drop by and visit Malfoy when he got a break. He really appreciated the blonde being so good about yesterday, and he was looking forward to their usual Friday night outing tomorrow. "Hey, Malfoy," he said cheerily as he pushed open the door, "Listen, about yesterday…"

He stopped in the doorway as the blonde looked up from his work, scowling darkly at the intrusion. "Ah… Malfoy?"

Malfoy shoved back from his desk, his gray eyes narrowed. "Yes, Potter. Let's chat about yesterday, hmm? Was it not your idea this week that we meet yesterday after work? Yet who was it that did not show up?" Harry raised one hand defensively, his good mood fading quickly. It seemed that Malfoy hadn't taken his absence as well as he had thought.

"Malfoy, I can explain. I –" The former Slytherin cut him off with a swift gesture of his hand, slashing through the air in his direction.

"I don't want to hear your bloody excuses. Whatever you hoped to prove by pretending to be my friend, you can forget it. Just… go back to your stupid Gryffindor friends and do whatever it is you do together. Make fun of the stupid Death Eater, if that's your game." Harry had no doubt he looked completely dumbstruck, but Malfoy was too focused on his own ranting to pay the brunette any mind. His pale face was flushed, his eyes molten with rage. His fists were clenched at his sides, as if to keep himself from doing some violence to the slightly shorter man.

"Seriously, Malfoy, listen, it wasn't like that." He took a step forward, reaching out, but his hand was slapped away.

"What could possibly have been so damned important you couldn't let me know not to show up last night, then? It's not like it would have been difficult to send a quick memo or get one of your lackeys to bring by a little message." Malfoy's scowl hadn't diminished in the least.

"It makes absolutely no sense, so it was obviously intentional." The blonde hesitated, then added, "Or are you really just that thoughtless that you just do what you like and expect everyone to fall in with your plans without any complaints?"

Harry hesitated. Malfoy did have a point. He could have taken the time and put a bit more effort into letting the blonde know about the change of plans, but when Malfoy had been absent from his usual spot by the lifts, he had merely assumed that the other man had gotten tired of waiting and gone ahead home. It wasn't a crime.

"I'm sorry, I was going to tell you, I swear. When you weren't at the lift like usual, I assumed you had left for home when I didn't show up on time." Harry watched as distrust and the beginnings of doubt flickered across the blonde's face. "I just assumed you would be there and I could tell you in person, but I kept getting stopped in the hall and I was running really late. It was a little late for memos or lackeys at that point," he added with a faint smirk.

Harry watched, fascinated, as the flush of anger darkened slightly into an embarrassed blush on the blonde's cheeks. "Potter, you idiot," he growled, "Next time behave like a normal person and don't plan to wait until the last minute to let someone know about a change in plans. It would save quite a bit of time and upset in the long run."

Harry sighed and scratched at the back of his head. "Sure thing, Malfoy. So are we still on for Friday now or are you going to do something childish and abandon me like I did you?" Malfoy frowned, crossing his arms.

"It would serve you right, bloody wanker," he muttered, but a faint smile twitched at the corner of his mouth. Harry grinned.

"C'mon, Malfoy, I said I was sorry. I'll make sure to never let it happen again, all right? I promise." He held out his hand, intending for them to shake on it. Malfoy didn't respond for a moment, obviously thinking it over.

With a muttered curse, the blonde finally stuck out his hand and took Harry's, giving it a firm shake. "Fine, then. I forgive you, this time. But don't expect me to be so understanding if this happens again." Harry chuckled, shaking his head.

"Perish the thought."

(_Time skip_)

"Please, Scorpius? Please, please, please, please, plea –" Albus continued to mumble through the hand slapped over his mouth. Scorpius rolled his eyes, looking by turns amused and annoyed at his friend's antics.

"I fail to see the point. I'll be forced to get along with your family during the holidays in any case, so pressing the issue now simply makes no sense. Why cause trouble for ourselves when we still have more than a month before we leave for the holidays?" Scorpius lowered his hand from Albus' mouth to allow him to answer.

Albus grinned. "That's what makes it perfect, Scor. If we can get James to like you, and I'm sure we can get Lily to like you easy when we get back, then it'll be the three of us against my parents not liking you, and you against your father not liking me. It'll be better than if it's just you and me stuck against everyone else alone."

Scorpius sighed. He had to admit, the brunette had a point. "How can you be sure this won't end up with James disliking me more and writing something horrible to your parents about me to make [i]them[/i] dislike me even more?"

Albus shrugged. "Well, I'm not. But he helped me to stop us fighting, so he can't hate you completely, right?"

Scorpius stuffed his hands into the pockets of his robe and admitted defeat with a nod. "Fine, then. But if this doesn't work I'm holding you personally responsible." Albus beamed, and Scorpius could feel his irritation slip away a bit. It was bloody difficult to stay angry at his Gryffindor friend, especially when he looked so happy about something so simple.

"Brilliant! You stay right here, I'll go get James." Albus dashed off before Scorpius could ask to tag along. He sighed and slumped down further where he sat, lowering his hand from where he'd raised it to get Albus' attention. He didn't like being alone outside of the Great Hall and the Slytherin common room. The general population of students had left off teasing him, but the real bullies still got a kick out of pushing him around. He didn't like giving them the opportunity to take advantage of his lack of real friends.

If he was lucky, Albus would be back quickly. He didn't know what the class schedule was for upper classmen, but with his luck, those third year bullies would be out of class around now, too, just itching to pick a fight with someone that couldn't really fight back. Scorpius prodded his own ribcage and scowled. He was still aching from last time, too.

"Hey, pretty boy!"

_Speak of the devil_, Scorpius thought darkly. _Well, devils_. He shifted in his seat and pretended not to hear them, his fingers idly fidgeting with his robes as he awaited the inevitable. A heavy hand slapped his back, knocking him off balance, and then clamped down on his shoulder as if to prevent him from escaping. Scorpius would have rolled his eyes if fear wasn't already beginning to turn his stomach into heavy, sickening knots. He might not be able to fight back, but he wasn't a coward. He wouldn't run. He had his pride.

"Hear me, blondie? I'm talking to you." He was dragged to his feet by the hand on his shoulder and shoved backwards into another pair of hands. "Respect your elders and betters and answer, you poncy git."

Scorpius raised one brow in derision. Self-preservation demanded he keep his mouth shut, but... "Elders, yes. Betters, not so much." The satisfaction of the smart-ass comeback was cut short by the open-handed slap to his face.

"Bloody little brat," seethed the ringleader of the small gang, his face turning red with fury. "You never learn." Scorpius cringed and closed his eyes as he saw the other boy's arm draw back, waiting for the blows to fall.

"Might want to back off, you three. I don't think Headmistress McGonagall would like to know third years are picking on defenseless first years." Scorpius was released so quickly he stumbled, nearly falling to his knees before he caught himself and straightened to see his saviors this time. Albus was there, looking extremely angry. James was at his side, one brow cocked and his mouth quirked into a smirk. A couple more Gryffindors stood behind them, looking ready for a brawl. They were obviously friends of the elder Potter boy.

The three bullies (from Hufflepuff, of all houses, Scorpius idly noted) backed off quick, making a run for it out of the courtyard. Scorpius brushed himself off and was nearly knocked over as Albus rushed forward and dragged him into a hug, squeezing tightly enough to make all his bruises new and old sing with pain.

"Scorpius! I'm so sorry! I thought I'd be back really fast and nobody would have time to mess with you! I should have brought you with me, but I thought I'd have to go all the way back to the Great Hall and I didn't want to drag you with me, but James was already leaving with his friends so it saved me some time." He pulled back and his green eyes were wide and dark with worry. "Are you okay? I'm so glad we got here in time!"

Scorpius gently pushed Albus off and brushed himself off, smiling affectionately at the brunette. The other boy's exuberance constantly amused him. He was so used to order and quiet, and he had grown up enjoying the things that could be done in a calm and controlled setting, like reading and brewing potions. Except for Quidditch. When he got on a broom, he felt full of energy, much like Albus seemed to live his entire life.

"I'm fine, Albus. Thank you. It seems you're constantly coming to help me out of a bad spot." He glanced around his friend at the taller brunette, backed with a handful of friends that were all watching the scene in front of them with apparent interest.

Albus grinned. "They're just jealous because they can't be friends with you like I am. I'll do better from now on. I won't leave you alone anymore." Scorpius glanced away, but a smile curved his lips anyway. It seemed inevitable when dealing with Albus.

"I appreciate it."

James clapped his hands together once. "Well, this is all beautiful, little brother, but I thought I was dragged over here for a reason."

Albus turned back to the other Gryffindors, slinging his arm around the blonde student's shoulders as he did so. "Yeah, that's right. I wanted you and Scorpius to meet, you know, formally. That way you can be friends with him, too, so when we get together for the holidays there won't be fighting and stuff like that."

Scorpius felt his cheeks heat a little, but he stuck out his hand, determined to make a good impression. James surprised him by pulling him into a hug as tight and sincere as the one he had just received from Albus. Scorpius' eyes widened as he was released and looked up into the grinning face of a boy that looked rather similar to his brunette friend.

"I was set not to like you, Malfoy," he said simply, with a casual shrug. "But you seem like a likable enough kind of guy, funny enough. I wouldn't call us friends, exactly. But we're hardly enemies." He was pleased by the shocked expression on the young blonde's face. He had a good mask, a strong façade, that he seemed to never take off, not in the Great Hall or the hallways or anywhere that James had ever seen.

But just now, with Albus, he had seen something on the Slytherin's face that had him deciding that the younger boy could be trusted. At the very least, he could give him a chance. If he ended up being the arrogant prat everyone accused him of being, he could always rescind his acceptance of the blonde. But something told him that wouldn't happen. Well, they would see one way or another.

(_Time skip_)

"Harry."

The brunette ignored the sound of his wife's voice behind him. He was busily gathering what he would need to start spending his nights in the guest bedroom. He intended to shower and dress there, too. He wouldn't go back into that master bedroom until things were settled between him and Ginny, one way or another.

"Harry, please. Listen to me." He glanced at her briefly over his shoulder.

"What, Gin?"

Ginny sighed. "Are you still planning to go drink with Malfoy tomorrow night?"

Harry scowled. "Yes. Same as every Friday night. Especially after the misunderstanding about yesterday, there is nothing you could say to me to make me skip it." He had been thinking about it all day. It had been more than anger and frustration in the blonde's eyes earlier. It had been hurt. Malfoy had been hurt when he hadn't shown up yesterday evening. He didn't intend to let it happen again. Once had been one time too many.

"Not even if I told you exactly why I hate him so much?" Harry stilled, turning to fully face his wife now, suspicious and also curious.

"Probably not even then. But it might help to know anyway, so I can understand where you're coming from. Ginny." He raked his fingers through his hair. "I hate fighting with you. But we're both stubborn, you know that. I'm not going to just give in to you, and I don't expect you to just give in to me. But it's supposed to be about compromise, right? I endured all those nights when you still played Quidditch professionally and you were gone for months. This is just something you're going to have to endure for me. Malfoy and I are friends."

Ginny didn't look convinced. She looked stubborn, like she was determined to sway him to her way of thinking. "Just listen, then, and judge for yourself. I assume you know Malfoy divorced Astoria Greengrass, right?" Harry nodded. He didn't quite know what that had to do with anything. As far as he knew, Astoria and Ginny had never been friends.

"I ran into her a few years ago and we've sort of talked now and then ever since. We're not exactly friends, but she's an all right sort of person. Just your typical snobbish Pureblood, but since I'm still a Pureblood myself, she sees us as running in the same circles."

Ginny shrugged. "We were talking one day, over a year ago, and she mentioned that she and Malfoy were finally ending things. She said she was miserable throughout the entire marriage and she was glad for it to be over. Malfoy treated her with as much coldness and disdain as he ever did anyone else, and once he got what he wanted from her, he was all too ready to push her aside and move on with his life." Seeing the doubt on her husband's face, she was only too willing to push on and further encourage the return of his hatred for the former Slytherin.

"All he wanted from her was an heir. As soon as his brat was born, he left her high and dry. He refused to even touch her. They slept in completely separate wings in that silly Manor of his. And in the divorce, he insisted on having full custody of their son, so she couldn't have anything further to do with his life. Probably grooming him to be the nest Dark Lord or something that he was afraid she would interfere with."

Harry was shaking his head. Ginny felt her heart swell with glee. His words, however, quickly put an end to that.

"Malfoy and I talked about Astoria a few times. He mentioned that they didn't exactly have the ideal relationship, but that Astoria knew way before the ceremony that he was only really interested in having an heir to the Malfoy name. She went through with it for the fame and wealth. And she was as happy at the separation as he was in the end. They simply didn't click and they were miserable being forced together like they were. Besides, Scorpius wanted to go with Malfoy. Astoria was more interested in herself than in being a proper mother to the poor boy."

Ginny's triumph turned to rage. "You're taking his word over mine?" she demanded.

Harry sighed. "I'm taking Malfoy's word over Astoria's. It sounds exactly like a Pureblood marriage to me."

Ginny looked ready to explode, but Harry hushed her when he heard the soft creak of the floorboards outside their door. "Lily," he whispered, and Ginny exhaled sharply, but nodded. They always did their best not to fight in front of the kids, though sometimes it was unavoidable. It was easier with just Lily in the house, of course. Sneaking around three kids took a lot more effort than sneaking around just the one, and Lily was generally capable of keeping herself occupied in her room when she wasn't off visiting relatives.

Harry finished gathering his things while Ginny went into the hall to see what Lily needed. He carried them into the guest bedroom and put them away, sinking down at the foot of the bed. He was more surprised by Ginny's confession of being friends – of sorts – with Astoria Greengrass than he was to hear the other woman's story about her failed marriage with Draco Malfoy. He had no doubt that the woman spread all sorts of horrible slander about Malfoy to gain pity and attention from anyone that would listen.

Would that happen to them, if he really tried to divorce Ginny? The more he thought about it, the more he fought with Ginny, the more appealing the idea became. It seemed to have worked for Malfoy, but then he only had one child, not three. And he wasn't close to any of the Greengrass family, whereas the Weasley family was practically his adopted family. Molly Weasley had always been the mother he'd never had, and Ron had been a brother to him from practically the beginning. Could he really hurt them that way by divorcing from Ginny?

It would require a lot more thought and research before he made any decisions for certain. Until then, he would continue to make the best of his current situation and continue to work on his friendship with Draco Malfoy, despite Ginny's obvious disapproval. Of all people, he would probably be the most helpful and supportive if he finally did decide to go through with a divorce, or even some sort of trial separation, from his red-haired wife.

(_Time skip_)

"Potter, for Salazar's sake, ask your bloody question already and get it out of the way," said Draco sharply, interrupting the brunette's thoughts and bringing him back to the present. "If you're going to sit there and think about whatever it is all evening, I can simply go home and you can find me when you have the courage to ask."

Harry – it was difficult to think of him as Potter anymore – scowled. "I was trying to think of how to be tactful."

Draco laughed, but with more amusement than derision. Teasingly, he said, "Since when have you concerned yourself with tact, of all things? Really, just get on with it. If it's too terribly invasive or annoying, I'll simply refuse to reply."

Harry chuckled softly. "I knew I was probably over-complicating everything. As usual." Draco waited patiently as the other man gathered his thoughts and his courage. He was just happy to be here with the bloody idiot, as much as he hated the satisfaction that spending time with him brought. He was much too selfish to give it up.

"What was it that finally convinced you to go through with the divorce?" Draco sent him a curious look, and Harry face turned red. Interesting. "Just out of curiosity."

Draco shrugged, glancing back at his drink, wondering what was safe to tell and what would be better kept a secret. "After ten years, it seemed like we'd forced ourselves on each other for long enough. We were both having discrete affairs, and we just…" He hesitated. "We were just ready for a change, and divorce seemed the way to go."

Harry nodded, looking thoughtful. "I keep thinking about it. Would you say your life improved after the divorce?"

Draco didn't hesitate. "Yes. No question. Scorpius and I are much happier now without her there." It seemed to be the answer Harry wanted, for he relaxed onto his stool and sipped at his drink. Draco couldn't help but feel a stir of curiosity himself.

"What's with this sudden spike in interest? Thinking of taking a stroll down that road yourself?" Harry's shoulders hunched, and Draco knew he'd been spot on. "Well don't look so guilty about it. Bloody hell, if you're miserable, put an end to it. Your kids are more than old enough to get through it, aren't they? And the She-Weasel can find another man whenever she wants, considering she was married to you. And you, of course. The Chosen Hero. You could have a dozen women clamoring for you if you snapped your fingers. And as many men, as well, I'd wager."

Harry spluttered and choked on his drink, making Draco wince. Thankfully, the brunette didn't seem to notice. He was too busy desperately drawing air into his abused lungs. "Are you mental?" he wheezed. "What? Men? What makes you think –?"

Draco forced a laugh that he hoped to Merlin sounded natural. It felt rusty as hell, scraping at his throat on the way out. "Merlin, Harry, I was just saying they'd be after you, not that you had to necessarily return the favor. You're fit enough, and even gay men have the right to a fantasy, don't they?" Harry was flushed beet red in embarrassment, and possibly from the choking, as well. Draco quickly took a swig from his bottle to keep from staring. Damn the man for looking so utterly flustered and adorable. And completely homophobic, apparently.

"What about you, then," Harry finally said. "Aren't you worried about some gay blokes looking at you and fancying a shag or something?"

Draco rolled his eyes. "They're hardly doing any harm." He smirked, and flashed a flirty wink at the brunette. "Besides, what's not to like about me? I'm a right handsome bloke, if I do say so myself." Harry laughed.

"Trust you to see it like that."

Draco laughed as well, but he couldn't ignore the sickening tightness in his belly ruining the moment for him. Harry Potter was off limits, no two ways about it. If only his heart would get the message as clearly as his brain was.

_(Poor Malfoy. Maybe Harry will get a clue, and a divorce. I hope, Kirsti-Lee, that I made Ginny's bias a bit more believable now. I'm trying not to make this some hysterical 'Hate-on-Ginny' kind of thing, so I hope this helps with that. Not as much from the boys this time, but when they finally leave for the holidays in the next couple chapters I think things will really start heating up. Review, my loving readers! If I don't write another chapter before, then I wish you all a Happy New Year!)_


	6. Chapter 6

(_I'm so glad everyone enjoyed the conversation at the end of the last chapter! It was completely spur-of-the-moment, and I almost didn't put it, so I'm glad it went over so well. I hope this next chapter is equally loved. Please, please, continue to review!  
Also, I've been considering branching into another series, so if you've got me on Author Alert, don't be surprised if an entirely different story shows up sometime in the next month. A plot bunny is stirring around deep inside my mind.  
Anyway, on with the chapter!)_

Something had been bothering Harry. Whenever he and Malfoy got together for drinks, they talked about everything. It was one week until the kids came home from Hogwarts for the holidays, and over the past few weeks things had been running as if on schedule. He woke up, had breakfast, went to work, came home from work, sprinkled arguments with Ginny throughout, and two nights a week went drinking with Malfoy. Like clockwork.

The thing that was bothering him was that Malfoy seemed to be hiding something. Not anything dark, not anything he felt particularly concerned about, but something. He was worried that the blonde might be involved with someone. Or at the very least, might have feelings for someone that weren't returned for whatever reason. Whenever they talked about their personal lives, like their love life, Malfoy clammed up. Everything else seemed to be at least considered for discussion before being waved aside or answered, but that one subject was completely off the table, and Harry was just about ready to know the reason why.

There were no hints in the ex-Slytherin's office, though. He had poked through once or twice, and the only personal touch had been the picture of Scorpius. Everything else was strictly professional. So either the person wanted the relationship to be a secret, or it wasn't a very serious relationship yet. He refused to believe that there simply was no relationship. Malfoy wasn't acting like someone without a love life at all. That was what had Harry suspicious.

Harry had a plan, though. If he could get into Malfoy's house, he would be able to know for sure if anyone else was staying there, and what sort of love life he might have. There would have to be clues somewhere. But Malfoy had never invited him over, aside from the invite for Christmas, but that was more for their sons than for themselves. Harry had neglected to invite Malfoy over, too, of course, but that was for a good reason. Ginny would be completely ridiculous, he knew, if he brought Malfoy into their house.

The thought had him getting angry, so he tried to repress it. It was his house, too, wasn't it? Didn't he have a say in who could and couldn't come over for a visit? Rather than get himself worked up, Harry shrugged it off and decided to worry about it later. Just one more thing to fight about with Ginny next time.

As previously said, Harry had a plan. And since today was Friday, their usual night out, he intended to carry out the first part of it right away.

Malfoy was waiting for him at the lifts, same as always, when work ended for the day. Harry greeted him with a call and a raised hand as he crossed over to join him, smiling widely. The blonde offered a small smile in return and Harry felt privileged by the unusual show of emotion. "Hey, Malfoy, before we head to Anthony's, I have a favor to ask you," he said, stepping into the lift with the blonde when the doors opened.

Malfoy glanced at him with slight surprise and interest, brow raised in question. "Well?" he finally prodded.

"Do you have any Sober Up potion at your place? I've run out, and if I show up at the house even a little tipsy I'll never hear the end of it." Harry had to remind himself not to hold his breath in anticipation as Malfoy considered his request, frowning a little. His hopes began to dim when a small nod suddenly had them blooming once more.

"I do. I can run by and get it for you if you want to go on ahead." Harry had guessed that Malfoy might suggest such a thing. He quickly shook his head.

"I don't mind tagging along. I need to know where you live anyway, right? Christmas holidays are soon." Malfoy's frown deepened, and then cleared away like a wet cloth wiping away a smudge. Not a trace of discontent was left behind. Harry almost envied him his iron control over his emotions. It would definitely make his job easier if he could control his expressions and his emotions so easily like that. He wondered if the blonde could teach him.

"I suppose. All right, come along, then." Harry didn't have to be asked twice. The two men stepped out of the lift together and Malfoy cocked out his arm, making Harry shoot him a quizzical glance. Malfoy smirked.

"We're Apparating. Grab on." Harry hesitated, and then tentatively touched the blonde through his robes, closing his fingers around the lean muscles of his arm. He hadn't Side-Alonged with anyone in a long time.

The familiar sensation of Apparating flooded through him, and then they were gone from the Ministry and reappearing on the street, made apparent by the abrupt change in temperature. It was cold outside, and Harry shivered as he let go of his coworker to pull his robes more tightly around himself. "Follow me." Harry tagged along behind Draco, studying the little house they were standing in front of. After seeing the Manor, it seemed… almost wrong to imagine the aristocratic blonde living in such an obviously middle class place.

Malfoy seemed to sense his surprise and glanced over his shoulder as he fished for his key. "It's all Scorpius and I need," he said simply, and pushed the door open. Despite his apparent reservations at allowing Harry to know where he lived, Malfoy didn't stop him from following him inside. "I'll get the potion for you," he said, gesturing for the brunette to wait for him in the other room. There was a couch and a set of chairs and a small Christmas tree set up, with a generous supply of presents shoved underneath the lowest branches.

Harry smiled to himself, imagining that all the gifts were for his coworker's son. There had to be at least fifteen. It was nice to see the doting father side of Malfoy. It was somewhat rare, but every time he saw it, his newfound faith in his blonde friend was more and more solidified. Lucius might have loved Draco in his own way, but from what he had seen, there had never been any tenderness or joy between the father and son.

Glancing around, Harry knew he had to be quick if he was going to find anything out about Malfoy's personal life tonight. But now that he knew where the blonde lived, he could always come back some other time.

There were no pictures that he could see of anyone but Draco and Scorpius. Astoria wasn't even present in a single one. Harry crouched down to study a smaller frame, smiling as he watched Malfoy wrap his arm tightly around his son's shoulders, smiling warmly down at the boy before delivering that same sincere smile to the camera for just a moment. Harry blinked in disbelief, and felt oddly jealous for just a moment. Was there anyone else aside from his son that could pull such a sincerely happy expression from the aloof blonde currently rummaging around looking for a Sober-Up potion somewhere else in the house?

Harry shook himself. He wasn't doing himself any good getting worked up over a few family photos. But it seemed like there were absolutely no signs of a third person in the house anywhere. Not even a scrawled phone number on a note or a forgotten scarf. Nothing. Not a thing was out of place, and it seemed like the place in general got little use. Malfoy obviously didn't do much in his spare time, that or he cleaned rather obsessively on a regular basis. House elves, he reminded himself, but he couldn't say for sure. After this surprising discovery about Malfoy's new home, he wasn't sure what he could count on about the blonde anymore.

"Found it." Harry turned quickly, startled, to find Malfoy standing in the doorway to the kitchen, watching him seriously. "It's not polite to snoop, Harry." Harry felt a blush rise in his cheeks and he stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"I was just… curious. You never want to talk about your personal life. I was wondering… well, I guess I was wondering what you were hiding." To his surprise, the blonde actually laughed at his response. Odd. That had been the last thing he would have expected.

Malfoy sighed, setting the _potion_ he had found on the kitchen counter, and chuckled again, much more softly this time. "Merlin, Potter. What am I going to do with you? You'd think a man your age would grow out of this excessive need to know everything there is about everyone you come in contact with. Some people need secrets."

Harry shook his head. "Everyone has to have someone they can vent to. At least one person. No one can survive keeping everything to themselves. I learned that the hard way." Gradually, though, his friends had made sure that he always opened up to them whenever he started keeping secrets. He probably never would have survived the war without them.

Malfoy stared at him for a moment, and then laughed yet again, rather weakly. "Salazar, you really believe that." Rather than clarify his unexplained mirth over Harry's words, he herded the slightly shorter man to the door, remembering to scoop up Harry's potion along the way. "Come on, Potter, we're wasting our night. Well, _your_ night. I'm not the one with a wife waiting up for me to come home," he teased.

Harry grinned and accepted the ribbing good-naturedly as Malfoy locked his house back up, latching onto his coworker's arm once again as they Apparated to Anthony's, but he was distracted by a new train of thought. If Malfoy didn't have a wife or a son home waiting for him every night, then who did he have?

(_Time skip_)

Albus flopped down in his seat in the train car, exhaling heavily with relief. His stuff was all squared away. All that stood between him and home was a train ride. The down side, of course, was that when the train ride ended he would have to say goodbye to Scorpius for a while. Frowning, the Gryffindor boy glanced across the train car at his companion, who was tugging off his gloves and stuffing them into his pocket.

Albus rubbed his chilled hands on his thighs. "I always lose my gloves," he said with a short laugh, earning a look from his friend.

"I can believe that. Albus, I do believe you'd lose your head if it wasn't stuck on your shoulders." The boy laughed, unable to help but agree.

"Here." Albus blinked, his amusement gone. The black gloves were back out of Scorpius' pocket and were extended toward him. "Put them on for a moment and warm your hands. It'll be much quicker than waiting for them to warm on their own."

Albus grinned and took the gloves, slipping them on. It seemed silly to resist the kind offer. "Brilliant. Thanks, Scor." They were still warm from the Slytherin boy's own hands. His fingers began to tingle as the warmth seeped into them.

"You're welcome, Al," said the blonde with a faint smile, before he glanced out the window at the snowy scene they would soon be leaving behind.

"So, make sure you write me, all right? We still haven't decided what exact day we're going to be meeting up during the holiday. It can't be too soon. I have to get you your present still." Scorpius' smile grew.

"Same here. I suppose we'll have to just see what happens. Our parents will probably pick a good day for us. Our fathers both work at the Ministry, apparently." Albus nodded. His dad had mentioned that in one of his letters.

"Isn't that great? It'll be easy for us to stay in touch outside of school because our dads are always in touch. We might even live kind of close to each other! That would be brilliant!" Albus chattered on about the benefits of being practically neighbors, while Scorpius merely smiled and nodded along, content to listen to his energetic friend ramble on. He had yet to find a moment when the Gryffindor wasn't overflowing with energy.

The door to their car opened suddenly, startling them both as they jerked around to see who was invading their privacy. "Hey, little brother," said James, plopping down on the seat beside Albus. "Hey, Scor."

The blonde lifted his hand in acknowledgement of the older boy's greeting, adding a quiet, "Hey, James." He always felt strange around the older Gryffindor boy. Albus had befriended him from the beginning, but that was different, as they were in the same year, and they had almost all of their classes together.

James Potter was… something else. He was a year older, they had no classes together, and they rarely saw each other. But when they did run into each other in the Great Hall or in the courtyard, he was always just as friendly as Albus was, as if they spent just as much time together. It was just odd. Odd, but nice.

"Ah, it's so awesome to finally be leaving for Christmas holidays," said James, crossing his legs at the ankles in front of him. "So, Scor, are you and Al just swapping gifts, or do Lily and I get to trade gifts with you, too?" The blonde looked at him blankly, obviously not expecting the sudden question. He hadn't realized that his friend's siblings would want to take part in their holiday get together as well. He had just assumed it would be just Albus.

"I mean, I can find you a gift, too, and we can help Lily pick something. That way it won't be just you two getting gifts from each other. And I bet we can convince our dad to buy something for your dad, since they work together, and you can get your dad to pick something out for ours, and it can be like a little mini Christmas. Mom probably won't want to go. But hey, her loss. One less present for her," hummed James easily.

Scorpius just stared at him as if he had sprouted a second head. The older brunette leaned closer, startling the younger boy so he blinked and leaned back somewhat. "Sorry," he said quickly, "I just… I wasn't expecting that. That sounds good, though." His smile returned, briefly. "That sounds good." James grinned.

"Brilliant! I knew it was an awesome idea. That's why I had it." Albus poked his older brother in the side, laughing.

"You're not as awesome as all that." James smirked, eyes flashing at the challenge his younger brother seemed to be issuing.

"Is that so? Scorpius!" The blonde started yet again, but the older boy didn't seem to notice. "I'm definitely awesome, right? Or is my little brother over here better than me?" Scorpius' brows furrowed, and Albus wanted to laugh. Trust his Slytherin friend to take a joke so seriously. But then, considering James' super-ego, it might have actually been a serious question as far as the older brunette boy was concerned.

"Well," said Scorpius, "You're definitely a good guy, James." James grinned, looking pleased by the praise. "But Albus is my best friend. So to me, he's definitely just a little better." James' grin gave way to an open-mouthed stare as Albus cheered and jumped up to sit beside Scorpius instead, throwing his arm around his shoulders.

"I knew it! Scorpius and I are best mates! No way would he ever choose you over me!" Scorpius looked over at Albus, and they both grinned at each other, their faces mere inches apart. "Oh, here, your gloves!" Scorpius leaned away slightly, and Albus took his arm back to strip off his gloves and give them back to the blonde. Scorpius stuck them back in his pocket as Albus grinned. "I'd already almost forgotten about them."

Scorpius rolled his eyes, but the small smile on his face was all the response necessary. James was still watching them, no longer looking so shocked, but not exactly looking as happy as he had been when he had entered the car to begin with, either. "Should've known you two would gang up against me," he muttered.

James came and went from the train car as he pleased throughout the trip. Sometimes he had other friends with him, sometimes he was alone. Scorpius and Albus spent the whole time talking, undisturbed by the seemingly constant flow of people to and from the car. Although some of James' friends were still wary of the young Slytherin, the majority of them had accepted his presence as an accepted part of their circle and they treated him politely. Albus considered it a major improvement from the bullying and outright snubbing at the beginning of the year.

When they finally arrived at Platform 9¾ they were some of the last ones to grab their bags and get off the train. James had rushed ahead with his friends, and was already standing there with the rest of the family. Not too far away, Albus could see a man with blonde hair identical to his friend's, and he knew that must be Scorpius' father. The two boys looked at each other, and then away. "Well, we'll see each other soon," Scorpius finally said.

Albus smiled briefly. "Yeah, really soon." They stood there for another moment, not quite looking at each other, feeling suddenly awkward for no apparent reason. Neither wanted to be the first to take that first step away. Scorpius sighed, and glanced toward his father. As he started to look back at Albus, he was suddenly struck with his friend's full weight in a hug that nearly sent them both tumbling to the ground.

"Write me," he demanded, his arms tightening for a moment. Scorpius hesitated, and then returned the hug, wrapping his arms around the brunette.

"Of course. As often as possible," he promised. They pulled away and grabbed their things, each heading in the opposite direction. Each sent the other one last look before they reached their respective families. They would see each other again soon. They both knew that. And the holidays would only last for so long.

That didn't make goodbye any easier.

Draco was waiting patiently for his son to join him, having watched the whole scene between the boys quietly. He had no idea what had been said, but he could guess. He reached out and placed his hand lightly on his son's head, and matching pairs of gray eyes met for a quiet moment. "I think you've grown a bit," he found himself murmuring.

Scorpius looked surprised, and then he smiled a little. "I'm a full inch taller than Albus. We measured." Draco chuckled softly and took the owl cage from his son's hand, helping him with his luggage so they could be on their way.

"I'll bet you did. We'll have them over soon. I'll be talking to Mr. Potter about it the next time I see him at work." Scorpius shot him a grateful smile. His father always seemed to know what to say without having to actually be asked about it.

"James wants to come, too. And Albus says Lily might come along, as well. They all want to exchange presents with us. They even suggested you and Mr. Potter exchanging gifts." Scorpius suggested this softly, knowing that their money wasn't so easy to throw away frivolously as it had always been before. "I'm sure they'd understand if…"

Draco snorted, and Scorpius immediately hushed. "We're not that broke, lad. We'll treat the Potters to a proper Christmas." He glanced down and shot his son a wink. "We'll even get a little something for Mrs. Potter." Scorpius surprised expression morphed into a brief grin, though he quickly tried to control it.

"I can't wait."

Draco sent his son a fond smile and then looked forward once more, whispering softly to himself, "Neither can I."

Back at the Platform, Albus was hugging both his parents and then his little sister as well, enjoying the familiar chatter of everyone talking at once. Mom took the lead, like always, and ended up trying to herd everyone away, and it ended up that Albus was walking right beside his dad, which was perfect. He had wanted to talk to him anyway. Writing letters was nice and all, but talking in person was so much better.

"Dad, are you and Mr. Malfoy going to pick out a day for us to go to Mr. Malfoy's and celebrate Christmas?" he asked excitedly, "Because Scorpius and I were talking about it, and we can't do it right away because we need time to pick out gifts. And James wants to come, too. Scorpius already said he would buy James a gift, too. And Lily, too, if she wants. And then you and Mr. Malfoy can give each other a present, too, and –"

Harry laughed and interrupted his son, knowing it was the only way to get a word in edgewise when he was this excited. "Mr. Malfoy and I are going to pick a day sometime this week during work. We've already started discussing it. I'll talk to him about the rest of us going on Monday. He might not want to open his home to three little hellions like you guys."

Albus couldn't help but laugh. "We're not hellions, Dad. We're good kids." Harry chuckled and mussed his hair.

"Sure you are. Once in a blue moon, anyway." Albus ducked away and brushed his free hand through his hair to try and fix it, but he was still smiling. As much as he would miss Scorpius, he _had_ missed his family, and it was nice to be back with them. Still, he couldn't wait for Christmas at the Malfoy house. It was going to be brilliant.

(_Time skip_)

"Listen, Harry. I don't think we can meet like this in the evenings anymore. At least not until the kids go back to Hogwarts at the end of the holidays." Draco spun his bottle in front of him on the counter and avoided his coworker's eyes. "I can't very well call Astoria to watch him, and with both my parents in Azkaban, my options are extremely limited. It's bad enough I have to leave him home alone for the next few days until _our_ holiday begins, but I can't very well expect him to stay home alone while I come out for a drink."

He had explained his evening plans to Scorpius, and he had seemed fine with his father being an hour or so late home from work. But it still didn't sit well with him. So as much as he enjoyed his time with Harry outside the Ministry, his responsibility to Scorpius came before his own happiness. As he had expected, Harry seemed to completely understand.

"It's probably for the best," said the brunette with a nod. "With all three of the kids home now, it's not really fair to ask Ginny to watch them alone while I come out drinking with you." It was perfect. They both needed to be at home more for the holidays, anyway. So why did it feel so terrible to think of missing out on these evenings together sharing Firewhiskey and stories about their personal lives? Once the boys went back to school, things could resume as usual. No big deal. Neither man commented on just how big of a deal it seemed to be.

"The boys seem to get along really well," said Draco idly. Harry nodded.

"James mentioned that Scorpius had been hanging around with them at school. He and Albus are apparently inseparable." Draco chuckled and took another swallow from his bottle, noting with a frown that it was over halfway empty. He would have to slow down or the evening would be over far too quickly.

"Yes, Scorpius said something like that, as well. He's been begging me to take him to Diagon Alley to pick out a present for your three." Harry managed a sheepish grin at the reminder and ran his fingers through his messy hair. He completely missed the way Draco's eyes followed the movement almost enviously.

"I'm sorry about that, by the way. They just invited themselves along. They're each insisting on getting something for Scorpius. And they're dying to see what I pick out for you." Draco shot him a knowing grin.

"Haven't figured it out yet? I've already got your present wrapped and waiting at home." Harry blinked, surprised. Had it been under the tree? He hadn't even thought about it until just now. He had had the perfect opportunity to see his Christmas gift from Malfoy and he had failed to take advantage of it. He suddenly felt cheated.

"Really?"

Draco smirked and glanced away nonchalantly. "Of course. A Malfoy never procrastinates." Harry laughed, and Draco shot him a scowl. "It's going to be absolutely brilliant. I made sure of it." Harry grinned and made a placating gesture.

"I believe you. I've just been busy. We'll probably go Thursday, once work is done for the holidays. So stay at home Thursday. We can't risk you seeing your present by accident if we run into each other." Malfoy rolled his eyes, but nodded in agreement all the same.

"Then I'll tell you the same for Friday, for your children's sake. Scorpius and I will be shopping then." Harry agreed, and silence fell between them again for a moment.

"So. Any gay blokes been around knocking at your door this week?" Harry finally asked, hoping to break the sudden quiet with a joke. Draco looked startled, and then he broke into a deep, sincere laugh that soon had Harry joining him. It was simply contagious.

"Harry." The blonde clamped a hand on his shoulder, wiping tears of mirth from the corners of his eyes. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

_(Does anyone else have a friend, just one friend, that means as much to you as a family member? Someone that's been with you the longest, that knows you the best?  
I have a friend that has been with me since the age of 3, and we're still very much alike, and we love to hang out together. I always feel a little depressed when she leaves after we do something together, even though I know I'll see her again soon.  
That's how I imagine Scorpius and Albus are, even though their friendship hasn't lasted nearly so long. I hope that everyone else enjoys this chapter as much as I did. Please, please, please review, as always, my lovely readers!)_


	7. Chapter 7

(_Well, my lovely readers, here it is! The much anticipated Christmas chapter! Even though I'm a more than a little late, since this was actually the chapter I wanted to release around Christmas day, it's still going to be great. ^^  
Ah, and I wanted to make sure everyone knows, classes will be started back tomorrow for me, so updates might be a bit delayed from here on out. I promise not to abandon you guys, though! I will finish this story, and write new ones as inspiration hits. Enjoy, my lovely readers, and review, review, review!_)

Harry was at a loss. He had absolutely no idea what to buy Malfoy for Christmas. It seemed like everything he looked at was too cliché, or too boring, or likely something the man already owned. He hadn't expected it to be this hard to shop for his blonde friend, but the kids had long since finished their own shopping and were now trying to help him as they wandered around looking for a promising place to shop.

"Listen, Albus, I don't think Mr. Malfoy wants potions ingredients for Christmas, even if he does like Potions as much as Scorpius," said Harry with a sigh, running his fingers through his hair as his younger son pointed out Slug and Jiggers Apothecary.

"What about Quidditch stuff?" piped up Lily, squeezing her father's hand lightly to ensure she had his attention.

"I don't think he plays Quidditch anymore. He used to when we were in school, just like me, but…" Harry shook his head. "I don't think that will work, either."

James had his present for Scorpius tucked under one arm. His free hand was propped on his hip as he looked around. It was hard for the children to help him shop for Malfoy when they didn't really know him. They just knew Scorpius. Well, James and Albus did. Lily didn't really know either of them. Her brothers had helped her pick her present.

"Why don't we go look in Wiseacre's?" suggested James finally. "They're supposed to have everything." Harry glanced toward the shop in question and considered heaving another sigh. He really didn't like shopping all that much.

"All right, let's try there." They were really running out of options. If only Malfoy hadn't already made such a big deal about the gift for Harry, he would suggest that they just not exchange gifts and leave it to the kids. But Malfoy had gone out of his way to ensure that he got an amazing gift (according to Draco), and he would have to do the same in return, no matter how difficult it ended up being for him. It was only right.

Harry pushed open the door and his children scattered immediately to explore what the shop had to offer. Harry rubbed his forehead and then started looking around. This place really did seem to have a wide range of items available. There were all kinds of telescopes of all sizes to his right, and he lifted a smaller one carefully to look through it, curious. He yelped and jerked, nearly dropping the telescope, when someone cleared their throat behind him.

"Can I help you?" asked the elderly man with a grimace, his gaze stern. Harry carefully put the telescope back, suddenly feeling like a scolded child.

"I'm looking for a Christmas present for a… friend. A coworker." He stuffed his hands into his pockets and fought the urge to squirm as the older man continued to stare at him. "I want it to be something really brilliant."

The man grunted and turned away, wiping the lens of the telescope Harry had been using with a dirty rag he pulled from his pocket. "A friend, huh. What kind of friend is he, then?" Harry hesitated, uncertain of just how to describe Draco Malfoy.

"He's… He was a Slytherin. We went to school together. He's very sarcastic, and he doesn't really let very many people in." Harry looked down at the floor, his eyes narrowed in concentration. "He loves his son very much. And he gives good advice when he's not making a snide comment about something. He's… actually a very good friend."

Harry looked up to find the older man was walking away from him, muttering under his breath. He stood there, feeling confused. Had the man listened to a word he'd said? Apparently so, for he paused, turned, and said, "You want to get him a present or not?"

Harry quickly caught up with the other man and followed him toward the back of the shop, looking around as they went in case something caught his eye. "I've only been to his house once, so I don't really know what he might already have, but…"

The old man snorted. "He won't have this, lad. Trust me."

Harry wasn't convinced that the old man wasn't completely mental, but he stayed quiet just in case he actually knew what he was talking about. "Magical hourglass," said the man, plunking the item down on the counter in front of Harry, startling him out of his thoughts. "Usually very popular with social types, but this one might suit your friend well enough."

Harry reached out and ran his fingers along the intricate designs swirled through the silver holder the hourglass was in. The sand was green. Very Slytherin. "It's beautiful," Harry admitted, "But…" The last time he had seen a magical hourglass had been at Hogwarts, when he'd been talking to Horace Slughorn about Horcruxes. Would Draco really like something like this?

The old man seemed amused by his indecision. "Not all magical hourglasses measure the same thing, Mr. Potter." Harry didn't bother to ask how the man knew his name. Everyone still knew him from his scar, even now, twenty years after the end of the war.

"Well, what does this one measure?" pressed Harry.

The old man smirked. "Honesty. If someone lies in front of this hourglass, the sand moves into the top. When someone speaks the truth, it moves back to the bottom. It sounds as though your friend doesn't trust easily. This hourglass might help with that."

Harry had to admit it was a clever idea. And Malfoy did seem to have a problem with trusting people. And it really was beautiful. Harry looked back down at the hourglass, then back to the man. "How much for it?"

(_Time skip_)

"So you're going there to exchange presents with the Malfoys this Friday?"

Harry nodded, twisting the wedding band on his finger absently. He had taken it off the other day for probably the first time in nearly ten years. The skin was a different color from the rest of him underneath, noticeably pale after being hidden from the sun for almost a decade. The pale ring of skin had taunted him, so he had quickly slipped the thing back on and left it. And now he couldn't stop fiddling with it.

"Ginny's staying home. She refuses to take any part in it. She still hates him, apparently because of something Astoria Greengrass said to her. She won't even give him a chance." Harry sighed and looked down at the tea in front of him, then across the table with a weary smile. "She'll probably come over here to complain to Ron. I just thought you should have the full story ahead of time." Hermione nodded understandingly.

"I still don't exactly trust Malfoy, but I haven't really seen him since we left school. I think it's admirable that you're reaching out to him, Harry, especially if he's truly not as bad as he used to be. Ron's been complaining a bit about you spending so much time with him, but I think he trusts you enough to forgive you for it."

Harry chuckled. "Eventually. He stopped coming by to talk to me during work at first, but things seem to be getting back to normal. He seems to be pretending that Malfoy doesn't even exist. I'm not going to push him. At least he doesn't want to fight about it all the time like Ginny does." Harry sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. Hermione frowned.

"Is it really that bad?" she asked worriedly. Harry let out a brief, bitter laugh.

"Hermione, we're sleeping in separate bedrooms, for Merlin's sake." His friend's eyes widened and he muttered a curse. "Don't tell Ron that. Though Ginny probably will anyway. We try to control ourselves around the kids, but it seems like every time we talk we're either fighting or apologizing now. Literally. It's exhausting."

Hermione frowned, reaching out to touch his hand comfortingly. "Harry. If it's really that bad, then maybe…" She hesitated. "Maybe you need to do something."

Harry scowled. "Like what? Ginny wants me to basically do everything she wants or she's disappointed or upset and we fight. Whenever I go against what she wants is when we fight. Being friends with Malfoy is just the straw that broke the camel's back, or whatever. She constantly complains about him and I constantly have to defend him. We've always fought, but everyone fights. We used to fight just every now and then, like normal people. Like you and Ron or Neville and Hannah. Now, it's just… unreal. I prefer working to being home with her. I look forward to my nights off with Malfoy because it gets me out of the house and I get to actually spend time with someone that doesn't want to fight about every little thing."

Hermione bit her lip. "Harry, that's not fair to you or Ginny. Forcing yourselves to keep going through that kind of life is wrong." Hermione twirled a lock of her hair around one finger, looking troubled. "If you two can't fix this, then maybe… Maybe you shouldn't be together." Harry gaped at her, torn between shock that she would suggest such a thing and relief that someone aside from himself and Malfoy had suggested it.

"Hermione…" Harry shut his eyes and groaned. "I've considered it. I've seriously considered it. Malfoy talks about how much his life has improved since he divorced Astoria, and I imagine coming home and not having to fight with Ginny about how much I hate being forced to attend Ministry functions or going out for a drink every now and then with Malfoy and it seems so… peaceful. And then I feel guilty because I love Ginny. I do. I… I did, anyway."

Harry stared down at his hands as the realizations struck him. "I did love her. But it's not the same anymore."

Hermione smiled sadly as Harry looked up at her. "You love her like family, but not as your wife." Harry nodded miserably.

"Hermione, I can't divorce Ginny. What would Ron say? Or Mrs. Weasley? All the Weasleys are like family to me. I can't…"

Hermione sighed. "I think that all the Weasleys would still love you even if you divorced Ginny. Some of them – like Ron," she admitted, "Will have a tough time at first, but they'll get over it. And you'll always have me."

Harry smiled weakly. "Thanks. But what about the kids?"

Hermione nodded. "That's something you'll have to talk about with Ginny. And the kids, eventually. Divorce is a big step, Harry, but I think it might be what you two need if your home life is really as bad as you say."

Harry opened his mouth to say more, but the front door suddenly burst open, and stampeding feet were suddenly heading their way. Hermione smiled, and Harry managed to smile back as the raised voices of all five of their children tore through the air, arguing about something that had happened during their mock Quidditch game outside.

Harry tried to pay attention to what the kids were saying, but his mind was still swirling with the talk he and Hermione had been having. Both Hermione and Malfoy agreed that a divorce was a natural conclusion to all the fighting between him and Ginny. But he would have to bring it up to his wife, and if they agreed that it was the way to go, they would have to tell their children. That seemed like the hardest part of all. Would breaking apart their family be worth the peace he would feel when Ginny was no longer his wife?

(_Time skip_)

Scorpius peeked out the window for the tenth time and Draco chuckled from his seat on the couch. "They'll be here soon, Scorpius. Don't worry." The younger blonde flushed slightly but moved away from the window to sit beside his father on the couch. Four presents sat on the table in front of them, read for the Potters to arrive and claim them. Despite his claim at the Platform, Draco had been unable to find a reasonable gift for Ginny Potter. Somehow he didn't think divorce papers or a Portkey to Antarctica would be received well.

"What if Mrs. Potter comes with them and ruins everything?" he fretted, "What if Lily doesn't like me?" Draco squeezed his son's shoulder comfortingly.

"Scorpius. You worry too much. Mrs. Potter wouldn't come into a Malfoy home without being dragged here bound hand and foot. And Lily will love you. There's no reason for her to do otherwise." Scorpius nodded, but he was still frowning, glancing at the front door and then at his fidgeting hands, unable to relax.

When a knock finally came at the door, Scorpius nearly tipped the couch onto its back as he launched from his seat to answer it. He regained control of himself before he actually answered it, of course, but it still made Draco smile to see his son so excited about something. He had never had any friends that he cared _this_ much about.

Albus came through the door and immediately latched onto Scorpius in a hug, chattering on about how much he had missed him and how he would love his present and everything else he could think of. James was right behind his brother, clapping Scorpius on the back as he greeted him with a grin that Scorpius returned.

Lily came in with Harry, holding his hand as she looked around. Scorpius felt a twinge of nervousness return as he went to greet them, as well. "Hello, Lily," he said politely. "I'm Scorpius." The girl studied him for a moment, and then smiled.

"Hi," she said simply, and came away from her father to hug him as she had seen Albus do. Scorpius looked startled, and then he gently hugged her back, looking a little less tense when she released him again.

"Mr. Potter." He held out his hand to Harry, absolutely determined to make a good impression with his best friend's father and his own father's coworker. Harry smiled and shook his hand, unable to help but think that Scorpius was like looking back at Malfoy at that age, except for a slight change here and there. He would never have imagined the Malfoy of his past hugging anyone the way Scorpius had hugged his children.

Draco rose from his seat on the couch and came to the doorway to the sitting room to greet their guests now that Scorpius had let them in and closed the door behind them. "Hello, Harry. James, Albus, Lily. The presents are in here, if you want to put yours with them." Harry shot him an odd look at the use of his first name, but followed his trio of kids into the sitting room to stack their brightly – and somewhat clumsily – wrapped presents next to the neat stack of silver and gold wrapped presents from the Malfoys.

"Now, Scorpius suggested that you might appreciate something hot to drink after being out in the cold, but we can drink it before or after we open presents, whichever you prefer." Draco arched a brow, and Albus leapt to answer.

"Presents first!" he suggested, grinning eagerly as he eyed the wrapped boxes, wondering which one was for him. James quickly agreed, and Scorpius shrugged. When Lily also agreed with her brothers, Draco shrugged.

"All right, then. Presents first."

Albus was quick to hand Scorpius his three presents, then politely presented Draco with his, as well, before sitting down so Scorpius could distribute the gifts to the Potters. The kids opened theirs first while their fathers watched.

To James, a book called The Beaters' Bible that Scorpius had heard the older boy talking about while they had been at school. James looked thrilled, thanking Scorpius with a grin before he cracked it open and started looking through it.

To Lily, a necklace. At first she looked confused by the pendant hanging from it, but as she examined it more closely with a small frown, Scorpius explained that it was made from amber, and would bring good luck to the wearer, along with power and protection. She smiled and put it on immediately, looking pleased.

And to Albus, a pair of spelled gloves that would almost magnetically be drawn back to each other if they ended up too far apart. "As long as you can keep up with one of them, you'll never be able to lose the other one," said Scorpius as Albus tried them on with a grin. Albus was sitting next to Scorpius on the couch along with Draco, so of course the boy took advantage of that to hug him as he thanked him for the gift.

Scorpius opened his gifts and got a Potions book from Lily, picked with some help from her brothers; a pair of Quidditch gloves from James for when he tried out for the team next year; and a self-stirring cauldron from Albus so that he could continue working with advanced potions over the summer and continue to be well ahead of the rest of the class next year. Scorpius looked truly happy with all his gifts, and he thanked each of them sincerely, trying on the gloves and skimming through his book once all three gifts had been opened.

Harry and Draco exchanged glances, knowing it was now their turn to open their gifts. Harry gestured, and Draco nodded, tearing off the wrapping paper with all eyes on him. He opened the box and gently lifted out the hourglass, studying it with a small smile on his face, his fingers wandering over the intricately-detailed silver, peering closely at the green sand inside the glass. "Is it spelled?" he asked curiously, and Harry nodded.

"It measures honesty. The sand moves into the upper glass when someone is lying." Draco's smile widened a little, and he looked up from his present to Harry. His eyes were dark with an unidentifiable emotion that made Harry want to go back and thank the old man at Wiseacre's yet again for the amazing gift idea.

"Thank you, Harry. Really, this is very nice." His thumb gently smoothed over the silver again almost unconsciously.

Harry shrugged. "It was nothing, really." Every eye in the room watched as some of the sand swirled gently into the upper section of the hourglass. Draco smirked as Harry flushed. "I mean, yeah, I had to search for a while to find anything for you, but as soon as I saw this, I knew it would be perfect. It was only because I didn't know what you might already have or what you might want." The sand shifted quietly back into the bottom of the hourglass, and Harry smiled weakly at the older blonde. "At least we know it works."

Draco laughed. "Indeed. Open your present now, Harry."

Harry complied, shredding the paper and then opening the lid to find a gem-encrusted Pensieve inside. He looked back up at Draco and saw that the man was tugging idly on the sleeve of his shirt, almost as if he was nervous. He had never seen the blonde fidget before. Ever. Harry looked back down at the wide-mouthed bowl and lifted it carefully from the box to study it more closely, running his fingers around the rim, bumping over the rows of stones.

"Amethyst, for clarity of thought and wisdom," said Draco, "Opal, to amplify emotion. Ruby, for wisdom. Sodalite, for general purification. Emerald, for peace and patience." The tugging at his sleeve became a bit more insistent. "You usually have quite a lot on your mind whenever we meet after work. I thought having a Pensieve might give you a way to get at least some of it off your mind." Harry smiled and put the bowl back down in the box.

"Thanks… Draco. Really. This is perfect."

Albus jumped up at that moment and convinced Scorpius to show them his room, and soon all four children were gone. Scorpius took his gifts with him, while James, Albus, and Lily left theirs on the vacant chair beside Harry.

Draco sat his new hourglass down carefully on the table between the two chairs and the couch, watching it for a moment as the sand remained at the bottom, which meant Harry was telling him the truth.

"I was going to get something for the She-Weasel, but I decided she hated me enough without me actually doing anything to deserve it," said Draco, leaning back into the couch, crossing his legs at the ankle in front of him.

Harry laughed. "Well, thanks for at least thinking about it, I suppose. But yeah, you probably shouldn't do anything to make her hate you any more than she already does." Harry put the Pensieve box down gently on the floor beside his chair so he didn't accidentally drop it and leaned forward a little, suddenly glad that the kids had left the room. Ron was still his best friend, and he liked talking to him, but Malfoy was somebody he could talk to about _anything_. More specifically, Ginny and the possibility of divorcing her.

"I talked to Hermione the other day. She's the first person I've talked to who doesn't think I'm mental for trying to be friends with you. Plus…" Harry hesitated, glancing to make sure the kids were still very much absent, and then continued quietly, "She agrees with you. About me possibly divorcing Ginny. I told her the whole story and she thinks that I need to talk to Ginny about it, and then we need to talk to the kids."

Draco nodded, draping one arm along the back of the couch. "That sounds reasonable. But Harry, remember, if you discuss this with Ginny and she tries to convince you not to do it, you still need to consider it. It might not be what she wants, but it might be what's best for everyone involved. It can't be fair to your kids to have you two fighting all the time, and if you two separate, you can have the chance to find true happiness somewhere else. With some_one_ else." _With me!_ Draco's mind screamed, but his expression remained totally controlled, not allowing even a hint of his true feelings to show through on the surface.

Harry was nodding, completely oblivious to his coworker's thoughts. _But then_, thought Draco, _why would that be any different from usual?_ Harry was always oblivious. Unless something was specifically pointed out to him, it was hard for him to figure something complex out. Not because he was stupid, it just didn't occur to him that there was anything to figure out. Harry was just notoriously bad at taking things at face value. Usually. There were times, Draco would admit, when Harry could be clever all on his own.

He just wished the man was clever enough to realize that friendship was the last thing on Draco's mind when it came to Harry Potter.

"Father." Draco glanced up, torn from his thoughts by his son's voice close to his ear. Scorpius was standing right behind the couch, with Albus and his siblings not a step behind him. "Can we have our drinks now?"

Draco nodded and got up to head into the kitchen, fighting the urge to rub his hand over his face. That would hardly go far towards keeping Harry from finding out about his ridiculous crush. His only option was to remain friendly and perfectly behaved around the brunette, no matter what it took to do so, until Harry made some attempt to change their relationship. Right now he was still straight, still apparently homophobic, and still unaware of Draco's sexuality. None of this was conducive to them becoming lovers.

Draco could be patient, however. Harry would be worth it. If he was lucky, Harry would divorce Ginny, figure out that he was gay, and figure out that Draco was gay. It was a stretch… Okay, so it would take a bloody miracle. But Draco couldn't help but allow himself to hope. The first step was still to get Harry back to single status. He would worry about the rest afterward. The fact that Granger agreed with him about divorce had lifted his hopes exponentially.

Albus insisted on dragging out the visit as long as possible, but eventually it was time for the Potters to head home, with much obvious reluctance from all six of them, though the adults hid it better than the children.

"See you at work," said Harry, carrying his Pensieve box with both hands to make sure he didn't do something stupid and break it. Draco inclined his head.

"Yeah, see you."

Albus hugged Scorpius tightly, reminding him to continue writing, and Scorpius promised to do so. James gave the blonde boy a hug, as well, and thanked him again for his gift. Scorpius flushed a little but returned the hug and the thanks. Lily rushed over to join in the goodbye hugs, and Scorpius smiled a little as he crouched slightly to be more on Lily's level as he hugged her. The girl was very sweet, as far as he could tell, and he had enjoyed meeting her and getting to know her. Despite his fears, she had seemed to like him, too.

When the foursome finally left, Draco and Scorpius were left alone. After a quiet moment of looking at each other, Scorpius said, "We could try out my new cauldron." Draco smiled and nodded, chuckling as the boy rushed off to get it and bring it to the kitchen along with his Potions books. Things had gone well.

Things had gone very well.

_(God, why did I think I needed to write a Christmas fic? I have a hard enough time picking out gifts for my own family, let alone making my characters go shopping. I hope everyone likes this chapter. It was a pain thinking of appropriate gifts, especially for Lily. Next chapter is one I've been looking forward to for a while. Well, one scene of it, anyway. Please, please review, my lovely readers! ^^)_


	8. Chapter 8

_(Well, ah, tragedy has struck, my darling readers. I won't distress you with the details, but my life is undergoing a very significant change due to an unforeseen event and I have absolutely no idea how frequently I will be able to write from here on out. It's a family emergency, you understand.  
Writing soothes me, though, so I do intend to continue whenever possible. But with this joining school as a hindrance to both my muse and my free time, things are very unclear for the future. Please worry not, I will prevail! Just… be patient with me.  
Review, my lovely, lovely readers, and if you are the praying kind the odd prayer for my family will not go unappreciated.  
Enjoy.)_

With Christmas Eve come and gone, there was less than one week left before the children would be sent back to school. The Hogwarts Express was set to leave the station the first Monday after New Year's Day, and Ministry workers would be expected back at work the very next day. Harry dreaded the approach of New Year's for a number of reasons, and yet he couldn't help but look forward to it at the same time. With Albus and James back out of the house, Harry didn't doubt that he and Ginny would begin their endless arguing again. But with the return to work, he and Malfoy could begin going out at night once more.

Thinking of Malfoy brought him back to the present, standing in his 'bedroom' down the hall and staring down at the Pensieve on his dresser. Dumbledore had had a Pensieve, he remembered, and he had used it quite a bit. And it was true; he did frequently have a lot on his mind. But he had never considered this as a solution before. It was an incredibly thoughtful gift, right down to the meanings of the gems set around the rim of the bowl. It almost seemed like too much to just be a gift between coworkers and friends.

"What better way to use my gift," he muttered, "Than to figure out the man that gave it to me?" Draco Malfoy was definitely an enigma. He was constantly doing things that completely went against what Harry thought him capable of, things that went against what Harry perceived to be his nature. It was extremely unsettling sometimes, and pleasant the rest of the time. But Harry was determined. If he went back over his memories of times he had spent with Draco in the Pensieve, maybe he would finally have an answer to his questions about Draco's love life.

There had been no signs of a third person when they had gone over for the holidays, but Harry still had the niggling feeling that there was something there that he was missing. The Pensieve might be just what he needed to figure it out. If he could look back at those times from a third-person point of view, maybe he would see something he had missed and finally connect those pieces. Then when he tried to talk to Malfoy about it next time, he would be able to confront him with facts when he tried to clam up or change the subject.

Curious, Harry pulled out his wand and tried to think of a good memory to practice on. One of their nights together at Anthony's, probably. Maybe the one when he had asked Draco what had made him finally choose divorce of all things to fix his relationship problems with Astoria. That might be good. He could relive the advice and maybe feel a little bit more confident about trying to confront Ginny with the same topic at a later date.

Harry held his wand to his temple, remembering how Draco had taught him during their visit, and closed his eyes, focusing on the memory. He slowly pulled his wand away from his forehead and could feel the odd silvery strand attached to the wand, trailing out and dripping into the Pensieve. Harry put his wand back in his pocket and placed his hands on either side of the bowl before plunging himself into the memory.

_"Potter, for Salazar's sake, ask your bloody question already and get it out of the way."_ Harry glanced around, hearing Draco's voice and smiling a little at the exasperated tone. Oh, yes, he definitely remembered this day. Harry wandered closer, spotting the memory of himself and Malfoy sitting at the bar.

_"I was trying to think of how to be tactful;"_ Harry heard his memory-self say. He stood beside himself, looking over at the blonde's face as he laughed, then smiled and teased him for his general lack of tact and promised not to take offense to his question. He didn't really think about it anymore, but Draco was much more relaxed when they were together than he ever saw him anywhere else, ever. Granted, he didn't see much of the other man outside of the office or Anthony's, but still. It seemed significant, now that he thought about it.

Memory-Harry looked down, and missed out on the soft smile Malfoy sent his way while he waited for the brunette to ask his apparently-tactless question. But Harry saw it this time, his eyes fixed on the memory of his coworker. What was that?

_"What was it that finally convinced you to go through with the divorce? Just out of curiosity."_ Harry shook himself to focus more on the words rather than the expressions crossing over his friend's face. This was what he was here for, after all.

_"After ten years, it seemed like we'd forced ourselves on each other for long enough. We were both having discrete affairs, and we just… We were just ready for a change, and divorce seemed the way to go."_ Draco looked troubled as he studied his drink and spoke, like there was more he could have said but didn't. Harry couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction as he realized that here was one of those pieces to his puzzle. Was it possible that the woman Malfoy was having the affair with was someone he actually liked? Was there some reason why they couldn't be together publicly now, even though he was divorced? He would have to search and find out some more before he could say anything for sure, but it was a nice start.

"_Would you say your life improved after the divorce?"_ Harry remembered Draco's answer to this particular question word for word. That was the most important detail of the entire conversation. Was the divorce worth it? Would it subsequently be as good for Harry's situation? According to Draco, definitely.

He tuned back in to the memory conversation in time to hear Draco add, _"And you, of course. The Chosen Hero. You could have a dozen women clamoring for you if you snapped your fingers. And as many men, as well, I'd wager."_

Harry felt the same stab of shock and disbelief now as he did then, watching as his memory-self spewed booze and shot the watching Draco a scandalized look. More importantly, he saw Draco wince, as if he hadn't expected such a violent reaction. From this third-person viewpoint, he could see the mask descend over his coworker's face, plastering a false smile there to placate him as he gave a laugh that was definitely not real. Merlin, how had he missed it the first time? Probably he'd been too busy choking to see or hear much of anything.

_"Aren't you worried about some gay blokes looking at you and fancying a shag or something?" _Harrycouldn't tear his eyes away from Draco's face for anything at this point, searching for what he had missed the first time he had lived through this moment. Suddenly it seemed as though quite a lot had passed him by without him realizing it.

_"They're hardly doing any harm."_ Harry felt himself flush slightly as he watched the smirking blonde wink at him. Well, the memory of him. But it came down to the same thing. _"Besides, what's not to like about me? I'm a right handsome bloke, if I do say so myself."_ The memory-Harry laughed and made some unimportant comment that Harry didn't get to relive, because he was too busy staring at Draco Malfoy's face, watching as the false smile and the false laugh broke away for a moment and revealed a hint of pain and frustration beneath.

Harry felt like he was still missing something, a very significant piece to his puzzle that would bring it all together. He was getting very close. He could feel it.

_(Time skip.)_

"Okay, so listen. When we get back to school you'll meet Scorpius, too, and if you like him then we'll be absolutely ready to try and talk to my mom and your dad about letting him come over during the summer." Albus was laying out a new brilliant scheme he had been concocting ever since Christmas had ended to his cousins and his siblings, safe from prying adult ears since they were outside where they normally played Quidditch.

Rose had her arms crossed, looking very much like her mother, just with her father's fiery hair. "I don't think just us will be enough to make them agree," said the Ravenclaw girl after an extended silence to contemplate the idea.

James leaned a little closer, grinning. "That's the brilliant part, Rose. Our dad and your mom are already okay with who Scorpius is. So it's all us kids, and then one of each of our parents, against the other two parents. We've got a good chance of success. The odds are in our favor." Hugo and Lily were talking a bit away from their older siblings about Scorpius, mostly Lily explaining what it had been like at the Malfoy home with Hugo listening intently, asking questions from time to time. Lily was wearing the necklace she had been given, and she showed it off proudly to her curious cousin.

Albus clasped his hands together. "Please, Rose? You don't have to actively fight or anything. Just, when it comes up, be on our side. Scorpius doesn't have any brothers or sisters, or a mom. It's just him and his dad. That's got to be really lonely. If he can't come over here, then where will he go? Nowhere! Please, Rose?"

The girl looked back and forth between the two hopeful-looking brothers and sighed. "I want to meet him before I agree to anything. But…" She relented and smiled a little. "If I like him when we get back to school, I'll agree to back you up when you ask to have him over during the summer." Albus and James both cheered excitedly. With Rose on their side, they couldn't possibly fail!

With the actual holidays over with, the kids were eager for school to start back, and their bags were packed and ready to go when the morning came to return to the Hogwarts Express. Albus and James raced ahead of their parents and Lily, impatient as they constantly had to fall back and wait for their family to catch up before they could continue running again. Albus let out an excited shout of "Scor!" and took off running to meet up with his blonde friend before they even reached the Platform, James and Lily tagging along behind, leaving Harry and Ginny to catch up with them. The red-haired woman was less than pleased, but she kept her expression bland for the children's sake as they reached the rest of the group.

Scorpius looked pleased to see them, and Draco stood by attentively, quiet so that the children could enjoy their reunion without an adult's interruption. He glanced up, spotting the approaching couple, and offered Harry a brief smile. "Hello, Harry," he said, and Harry greeted him in kind. As for Ginny, Malfoy merely lifted one brow and said, "Ginevra." The witch bristled, and Harry held back a weary sigh and shot Draco a discouraging look. Malfoy smirked a little, but he inclined his head, silently promising to behave.

"Malfoy," she said grudgingly, her expression clearly revealing how much she wished to be anywhere else but there. Scorpius looked uneasy, edging back half a step toward his father. He straightened his spine and refused to back down completely, though. Malfoys have their pride. Shoring up his courage, Scorpius held up his hand toward Ginny as he had done Harry over the holidays, his eyes on her face as he waited for either acceptance or rejection.

"Mrs. Potter," he said, his tone perfectly polite. Draco waited, hands in his trouser pockets, the very picture of relaxed patience. His eyes were sharp as daggers on the woman's face, however. Ginny seemed to be seriously considering spurning the gesture, but a quick nudge from Harry followed by the brunette clearing his throat had Ginny muttering something probably unflattering and taking the boy's hand to shake it briefly.

"Scorpius Malfoy," she said, and drew her hand away quickly. Emotion flitted briefly across the younger blonde's face, then it vanished and he stepped back to be by his father once more. Albus shot his mother a furious look.

"What is wrong with you, Mom?" he demanded, throwing his arm around Scorpius' shoulders. "Scorpius is my best friend!"

Ginny scowled, but as she looked from Albus to Scorpius, at the way the blonde relaxed under the brunette boy's arm in a very un-Malfoy-like way, she shook her head. "As far as I can tell, there's nothing wrong with him," she said, turning instead to glare at the older Malfoy. "It's _you_ that I've got a problem with." Malfoy looked only vaguely amused.

"Really, Ginevra, if you've got a problem with me, perhaps you should let me know what exactly it is I've done to offend you, considering we haven't had contact with each other in oh, say, nineteen years? Nearly twenty now, actually." Malfoy smirked as Ginny's temper clearly rose. He was enjoying himself a bit too much. It had been far, far too long since he had baited a Weasley. It was just as fun now as it had been back then.

Harry coughed weakly. "Perhaps we should be hurrying along. The kids can't be missing the train…" Draco's smile grew just a bit as he clapped his hands together once softly. Harry knew Malfoy was enjoying himself. He couldn't bring himself to be all that mad at the blonde for his behavior, though, for some reason.

"Of course, can't miss the Hogwarts Express. Get your things, boys." All three of them instantly began to do as they were told, making Ginny nearly twitch with fury. Who was he, the great and arrogant Draco Malfoy, to be telling her children what to do? The nerve of that bloody pureblood prat of a wanker from Slytherin Death Eater!

Draco turned away to begin to head toward the entrance to the Platform and paused, glancing back over his shoulder. "Coming, Ginevra?"

Harry held back a groan as Ginny exploded. "Stop calling me that!" she demanded, pointing one finger at Malfoy accusingly. Draco looked undisturbed by her outburst.

"It's your name, darling. What else would you have me call you with your children present?" He smirked and started to turn away again.

"Astoria told me all about you. You can't hide behind your innocent act around me, Draco Malfoy. I know the truth. You're an evil sodding git and you'll never be anything else!" Malfoy paused, then turned back to face her again, his expression wiped clean, although something dangerous seemed to be brewing behind his gray eyes.

"What, exactly, did my ex-wife have to say to you about me?" His voice was perfectly controlled, but there was a slight ripple in the cool image as he tugged once at the sleeve of his shirt. Harry noticed it, but he couldn't be sure if Ginny did or not, or if she would understand even if she did notice the odd movement.

Ginny sneered. "She told me everything. About how you stole her son from her, how you kept her locked up in that mausoleum of a Manor you used to live in." Draco looked slightly bored with her accusations.

"I won Scorpius fair and square in a custody battle in court. There are records, I'm sure, if you're desperate to see for yourself. Besides, Scorpius chose me. If he had told me he preferred his mother, I would have let him go." Harry watched pain flash across the older blonde's face. It would have hurt the man terribly to give up his son, but he would have done so if that was the boy's wish. Harry was just as convinced as ever of Malfoy's innocence.

"My mother never wanted to spend time with me when we lived together, Mrs. Potter," piped up Scorpius. "She was always too busy. I wanted to stay with my father." Ginny didn't act like she had heard him.

"And…" Ginny added, leaning closer to Malfoy until they were nearly nose to nose. "She told me that you used to hi –" Ginny broke off as she felt the tip of Malfoy's wand subtly jab her in the ribs from where he'd whipped it from its hiding place, daring her to speak further. His expression was dark, his eyes nearly black with fury, like storm clouds in a hurricane.

"Perhaps you should stop taking tea with chatty witches that lie more than they breath," said Draco quietly, "And learn to leave alone that which does not concern you." Slowly, he lowered his wand, then turned sharply away and started toward the Platform. "Scorpius," he snapped over his shoulder. The blonde boy scooped up his bags and hurried after his father, shooting an apologetic glance over his shoulder at Albus before they disappeared from sight.

Harry muttered a curse as Ginny continued to stare after the blonde, looking shell-shocked, to say the least. "Happy now?" he demanded. He turned to deal with the kids, since the idea of dealing with Ginny at the moment was making him more furious than he could stand. "Grab your things. We don't want you two to be late." Taking Lily's hand – gently, he refused to take out his anger over Ginny and Draco's fight out on her – he walked quickly in the direction Malfoy had taken, hearing the boys following behind him.

Today couldn't possibly get any worse.

_(Time skip.)_

There was no horrific screaming match when they got home. Ginny went to her room, Harry plopped down in his favorite chair, and Lily cuddled in her father's lap, her arms wrapped loosely around his neck.

Dinner was a strained affair, and when it was over they each went to their separate rooms and closed the doors, and that was that. Harry sat on the end of his bed, trying to get his thoughts in order. Ginny had apparently been talking to Astoria Greengrass again, and the other woman seemed to be trying her hardest to incite Ginny against Draco. He just couldn't understand it.

It was bad enough that they had fought, but they had fought in front of the children. Draco had pulled his wand on Ginny, for Godric's sake. He didn't like what Ginny had said, either, but that didn't mean the blonde could go and pull his wand on Ginny. What if he had actually tried to harm her? In hindsight, Harry knew Draco probably would have done no such thing, especially with so many muggles present, just an Obliviators incident waiting to happen.

Harry tugged at his hair. He wasn't going to get any sleep tonight. Not anytime soon, anyway. He was restless and frustrated and he needed someone to talk to that would listen and give him good advice, someone that would help him make the best decision for himself, rather than for someone else. Someone like Draco Malfoy.

Harry checked the time and wondered briefly if he should Fire-call or something like that to see if the blonde was even still awake. Just as he was getting up, he suddenly lost his drive and dropped back down. Malfoy probably didn't want to be bothered after the stressful day he had been through, and at the hands of Harry's wife, no less.

Discouraged, Harry fell back onto the comforter and stared up at the ceiling, wondering how in the bloody hell he always managed to get tangled up in things like this. All he wanted was a happy, peaceful life with someone that loved him that he loved back. Was that really so much to ask? A life that didn't include constant fighting and creeping around on eggshells so that certain topics didn't have to be discussed that would only lead to more fighting between the two of them. It was a bit ridiculous to even think about.

Harry paced and fretted and contemplated visiting Draco well into the night, finally passing out from exhaustion across the foot of the bed, still wearing his glasses and terribly uncomfortable, as his bones let him know once he rolled out of bed.

Harry stretched and showered, then snuck into the kitchen, which was curiously empty, and fixed himself a hurried breakfast of toast before slipping out the door. He checked the time again and realized that he was even earlier than he'd realized. But then, that was perfect. He wanted to stop by Malfoy's and talk to him before work. He wasn't going to be able to concentrate until he could get some of this off his chest.

Harry Apparated to the now-familiar location and stood outside for a moment, studying it. He could see light through one of the windows, which meant that Malfoy was definitely still home getting ready for work. Perfect.

Harry strolled right up to the front door and knocked three times, hard enough to be heard just about anywhere in the house, or so he hoped. He waited patiently in the chilly air for some stir of life in the house, nearly pressing his ear to the wood when minutes passed and he heard nothing. He knocked again.

This time he heard footsteps, coming in his direction. Harry backed a step away from the door and fiddled with his hair for a moment, hoping that Draco wouldn't be too mad about him being here so early.

Just as the door started to swing open, he panicked and blurted, "Listen, Draco, I'm so sorry about all of –" Harry stopped, because the man that stood in the doorway once it was fully opened was definitely _not_ Draco.

And he wasn't wearing trousers. And was that… Draco's shirt?

The dark-haired man smiled, but then shivered as the wind swept in through the open door. "Bloody hell, it's cold out there. Come in, Draco's getting ready for work. No point in waiting outside for him." He stepped aside, and Harry trudged woodenly in, his thoughts whirling sickly like he'd taken too many hits to the head. He'd found his missing puzzle piece, that much was certain.

The stranger seemed comfortable in Draco's house, directing him to take a seat on the couch as he headed down the hall to alert Draco to his presence. Harry sank down onto the soft cushions and tried to put his thoughts in order. It had never occurred to him that this might be the outcome to all his snooping around in Malfoy's love life. He'd married Astoria, hadn't he? He'd just assumed that that meant Malfoy was straight.

Suddenly, those jokes Draco always made about gay blokes made sense. He had been trying to tell Harry in the most subtle of ways possible, but he, Harry, had been completely blind to it. Not that he could be completely blamed. It had been really, really subtle. And, considering his reactions of horror and utter shock and disbelief every time he brought it up those nights at Anthony's, it was little wonder Draco had never confided in him.

Harry looked up, hearing the soft sound of bare feet on wood flooring, and saw Draco step into the doorway halfway dressed for work. His mask was on, but Harry couldn't blame him for that, either. "This is quite a surprise, Harry," he said calmly, and he tugged at his sleeves as though he were fixing them, though they looked fine to the brunette. Harry had decided that it was a completely unconscious movement on the blonde's part whenever he was nervous or irritated. Draco Malfoy would never knowingly allow such a telling habit, he was sure.

"Yeah," Harry finally said. "I needed to talk and I didn't think I could wait. I didn't think you'd mind." Draco's lips twitched briefly.

"You didn't think I would have… company," he corrected, leaning his shoulder against the wall. "It's quite all right, Harry. I never gave you any impression otherwise. I _purposefully_ never gave you or anyone else any impression otherwise."

Harry winced. "Draco, I'm sorry. You kept hinting at it and I completely ignored it. I thought you were just having me on."

Draco shrugged, but Harry noted his icy mask was still firmly in place, and he couldn't help but wonder if he would ever be able to get the blonde to remove it again. "Gilbert understands my need for secrecy. And he doesn't come here when Scorpius is home." Draco gave a short, bitter laugh. "I suppose even with my marriage over with my affairs are still rather… discrete."

Speak of the devil, the other brunette came back into the room more properly dressed, though Harry noted he still wore Draco's shirt rather than his own. It hung just a bit long on the shorter man, and the sleeves were rolled up to free up his hands. "So, you're Harry Potter," he said, smiling winningly. "It's so good to finally meet you. Draco talks about you quite a bit." He laughed and plopped himself down in one of the chairs across from Harry, while Draco continued to stand, though he did move to stand a bit closer to the two brunettes.

"Ah, yeah. Hi, Gilbert," Harry said weakly.

Gilbert grinned. "I was relieved when I heard you were married. I was getting jealous of Draco going out with you so often." Harry wondered how the chipper man could seem so oblivious to the growing ire that was Draco Malfoy standing so very close to him, but Gilbert seemed completely undisturbed by his… lover. Merlin, what a thought.

"Gil. Perhaps you have something to do elsewhere. Harry came here to talk to me about something that I assume is important." Gilbert continued to smile brightly, looking as though he would hop right out of his chair and find something else to do to give them their privacy as directed, but Harry halted him by standing first.

"No, really, it can wait. I shouldn't have come over without warning like this. We can just… talk after work some time, like usual." He looked up, and saw a crack in the icy mask as Draco's eyes reflected shock and the beginnings of relief.

"So you intend to continue your friendship with me?" he asked, just to make absolutely certain. Harry nodded quickly.

"Of course! Just because you're… well, you know… doesn't mean we can't still be friends. Is that why you hid it from me?" Draco shrugged again, but Harry could tell he was feeling much better, his stance much more relaxed.

"Considering the way you reacted when I even suggested it…" Harry flushed as Gilbert muffled a laugh behind his hand. Obviously that was one story Draco had felt inclined to share with his… lover. Still felt odd to think about.

"Again, sorry." He glanced away and then back again. "I'll just see you at work then. If not before, we'll definitely meet up Friday, all right?"

Draco nodded. "Friday for sure." He walked with Harry to the door and let him out, lingering until the brunette was gone, and then went back inside. Gilbert was standing now, watching him with a wide, knowing grin.

"So he's the one you're in love with."

_(Wow, this is a bit longer than usual. Anyways, hope you enjoyed this chapter. It was definitely a stress reliever for me. Review, my lovely readers.)_


	9. Chapter 9

_(I'm so glad everyone enjoyed last chapter. ^^ It felt so good to get the reveal off my chest. That scene has been in my head for weeks. In case anyone hasn't realized it yet, I write this note at the beginning of a chapter, and the one at the bottom at the end. It sounds obvious, I know, but what I mean by that is that when I write this, the chapter you are about to read is not yet written. When I am finished, I jot down my thoughts about its completion at the end and then submit the chapter. So as I type this, the chapter is not even begun, but the ideas are there, and if things do not change much from where they are now in my head, I must warn you that there is a scene of much angst in your future. Much angst indeed.  
On a more pleasant note, for those of you that are curious, yes, Gilbert will be around for a while. I'm hoping he'll have at least a bit part in every chapter from now on.  
Everyone give three cheers for Martin Luther King Day! The long weekend is giving me time to get another chapter up quicker than anticipated despite my ongoing family dilemma.  
Please, please review, my lovely readers! Your comments really brighten up my day!)_

Once Harry got over the initial shock of discovering Draco's secret love life, he found that he wasn't too bothered by it. Well, okay, he was. But not because it was a guy, just because… it was odd to think about Draco being with anyone when he'd been acting as though he were single this entire time. And this Gilbert bloke was a total stranger to Harry. Where had Draco met him? How long had this been going on?

The more Harry thought about it, the more curious he became. Had Draco known about his sexuality before his marriage to Astoria or had it only become an issue after the fact? His own worries and questions about his own life were overshadowed by the curiosity welling up inside him now. He wanted to know everything he could about Draco's love life now that the other man knew he wasn't going to judge him for it.

Harry was looking forward to Friday more than ever, and when the day finally came he eagerly gathered his belongings and rushed to meet Draco at the lifts as usual. As always, the blonde managed to beat him there, casually propped against the wall beside the lifts, watching passerby boredly as he waited for one coworker in particular.

When he saw Harry he smiled a little and straightened to step into the lift with him, taking the same route as they did every week out of the Ministry and through the chilly streets to Anthony's. Sitting as they always did at the bar with their drinks, Harry predictably was the first to start a conversation. It always seemed like he was the one with something to say or something to ask. Draco never seemed to mind talking about whatever Harry came up with.

"Before we talk about my crumbling marriage," said Harry, since that seemed to be the most frequent topic of these meetings, "Let's talk about you for a change. You, currently. How long have you been seeing this Gilbert bloke?"

Draco looked surprised for a moment, and then he sighed. "I should have guessed you would be nosy," he said. "I met Gilbert when Scorpius and I went to Diagon Alley to buy his things for Hogwarts. He's a couple years younger than you and I, which is why you might not recognize him from Hogwarts. He was a Gryffindor, though, so perhaps you'll be able to recall him if you think about it for long enough. Anyway," he continued, "Gilbert currently works at Wiseacre's, so it's also possible you've seen him there."

Here Harry felt like he had to interrupt. "I was there not too long ago Christmas shopping and I didn't see him anywhere."

Draco smiled briefly. "Was there an old man, rather grumpy and short-tempered?" Harry nodded. "Gilbert apparently gets bored and sometimes disguises himself like that. It makes it look like more than one person works there and it amuses him. The owner doesn't mind and neither do the customers since they continue to shop there."

Harry tried picturing the older man from Wiseacre's and the young one from Draco's house and simply couldn't. They were two entirely different people. But if that really was Gilbert, then that meant that Gilbert helped him pick out Draco's Christmas present! Even though Draco apparently talked about him, Harry, to Gilbert enough to make him jealous, and he had known that it was Harry at the shop, and it probably hadn't been hard to guess from his description just who he had been buying the gift for. Harry felt confused. Why would Gilbert help him?

"So, when did you two actually… get together?" asked Harry, pushing aside his musings to continue the conversation. It was all in the name of friendship, of course, or so he told himself. Draco was helping him with his failing marriage, so it was the least he could do to see if he could help his friend in return. Now that he knew who the other person in Draco's life was, he needed to figure out what it was that was still making Draco unhappy. It might just be that he was tired of hiding his relationship from the world. He had sounded upset when he had mentioned it over the holidays. Harry needed more information, and the more he could get from Draco, the better.

"A few weeks after we first met," Draco explained, taking a sip of his drink. He didn't seem to be in a particularly good mood, but he didn't seem very upset, either. Harry wasn't sure what to make of it. It was almost like he was _trying_ not to let his emotions show, like he was merely reciting a list of facts rather than recounting how he and his current lover had gotten together. "I went back to Diagon Alley for a few things and stopped at Wiseacre's to see him. We had lunch and I walked him back to his work. He asked if I was single, I said yes, and we agreed to see each other on a more regular basis. As I said, he's been very understanding of my need for privacy, and he doesn't at all mind having to stay away whenever Scorpius is home."

Harry nodded, trying to put everything together in his mind. Something was very wrong here. "Do you like him?"

Draco laughed, though to Harry it didn't sound particularly humorous. "What's not to like about him? He's a very handsome bloke. Dark hair, very fit, bright eyes. Blue eyes," he murmured, and Harry blinked. Draco suddenly sounded… sad. "Not to mention," Draco continued more strongly, "he doesn't mind my… well…" His hand briefly brushed over his forearm through the sleeve of his robes, and Harry knew exactly what he was talking about. He reached out and placed his hand over the spot, and heard Draco's breath catch in his throat.

"I don't mind it, either," said Harry seriously, his eyes fixed on the blonde's face. Draco looked shocked. "You were just a kid, Draco. I understand that, even if nobody else does. We were all just kids. We were just doing what we had to."

Draco swallowed hard and told himself that Harry was still very married, and still very heterosexual. He was just being a good friend right now. The light in his eyes was determination, not attraction. But it was difficult, oh so difficult, to resist leaning over and tasting those perfect lips. Gilbert had been an almost perfect replacement for the object of his obsession. The two men could be siblings they were so similar, except for one very important feature. His eyes. Nobody on this Earth, magical or Muggle or otherwise, could possess the same exact shade of green that Harry Potter's eyes did.

"T-Thank you, Harry," said Draco quietly. He told himself to pull away, but the heat of Harry's palm through his sleeve wasn't something he intended to give up until he absolutely had to. "That means a lot to me, really."

Harry smiled and then pulled back to take another swallow from his drink. Draco turned to his as well and suppressed a shudder as the last of the Firewhiskey in his bottle burned a fiery path down his throat that had nothing to do with the alcohol and everything to do with the fact that unrequited love hurt like hell.

(_Time skip_.)

Draco stepped into his house quietly, shutting and locking the door at his back, just as he did every evening when he returned home, whether he went out for drinks with Harry or not. Like clockwork, he hung his robes by the door and slipped out of his shoes, setting his bag down beside them ready for Monday morning.

With a soft sigh he padded into the kitchen and checked to see if any letters had come from Scorpius while he had been gone to work all day. There was, predictably, nothing there. Hogwarts had only been back in session for a week, after all. Nothing terribly exciting had probably happened yet for the students.

Standing in the middle of his kitchen, staring at the empty countertop, Draco closed his eyes and allowed his mask to completely drop and shatter uselessly at his feet, freeing his true emotions for the first time all night. Agony mercilessly speared through his heart, and fury flooded his churning stomach, boiling its way up through his torso until he was nearly shaking all over from the force of it. His hands worked spasmodically, clenching and unclenching at his sides as if anxious to commit some misdeed against something. Or someone.

He didn't know what to do with himself. So much negative energy tearing through his body, ravaging everything it touched. His heart ached and his head throbbed. A raw sound grated its way up his throat and past his lips, shredding the peaceful silence of his home. He couldn't think, couldn't speak. He was consumed with the need to _break_ something.

Gilbert was reclining on the couch when he saw Draco pass into the kitchen and seem to freeze in place. He sat up slowly and moved into the doorway of the sitting room, watching the blonde with a worried expression on his face. He was one of the only people that ever saw the true Draco Malfoy. In front of Gilbert, he had no mask, no need to act properly. Gilbert knew him, every part of him. Gilbert was the only person that let him be who he truly was.

"Draco."

The blonde didn't respond to the call, just stood there with his eyes half-shut, staring blankly down at the counter. A low, horrible sound tore its way out of the former Death Eater's throat. He was shaking all over. Concerned now, Gilbert moved closer still, crossing around to the taller man's side and reaching out cautiously to rest one hand on Draco's arm. "Draco, what happened?" he asked softly, "What's wrong?"

The blonde's body jerked, pulling away from Gilbert's touch. His breathing was shaky, his eyes far too dark for comfort as they opened further and locked onto the disturbance that had stirred him from his trance. "What, Gil." It was hardly a question at all, more like a threat. Gilbert didn't allow it to intimidate him, though.

"Come on, Draco; forget about it if you won't tell me. You're only hurting yourself by doing this." Emotions flickered through eyes that were almost black in the poorly-lit room as the blonde stared at the shorter man.

Suddenly, with a sharp movement, the taller man paced away from him; Gilbert followed close behind. He knew better than to leave Draco alone in this kind of a mood. Suddenly, he whirled back and latched onto Gilbert, hauling him closer until they were merely inches apart. "Why can't he see it?" he demanded, in a voice that wavered between despair and rage. "Why doesn't he realize what he does to me?'"

Gray eyes met blue for a long moment. Gilbert didn't have the heart to explain that the fault lay with both men. Draco was far too good at controlling his emotions when necessary. It was easy for anyone to mistake the true feelings of the blonde that was never allowed to see the whole of him such as Gilbert was. Likewise, Harry needed to open his eyes and reach out to Draco before the blonde sunk any further into this emotional spiral. Even if he didn't return the feelings, now or ever, it needed to be put to rest so that Draco could move on with his life.

"He will." Gilbert reached up and placed his hands on Draco's forearms. "He will, Draco." He smiled, looking both patient and slightly sad for the man standing before him. He watched as some of the haze left the blonde's eyes, allowing them to lighten up until they were a more normal shade of gray.

"He wanted to know all about you." Draco laughed, the sound short and bitter. "He asked where we met, how long we've been together, everything. Just being a good friend. And then he… Salazar…" The blonde broke off, shuddering. Such an innocent touch and he came completely unraveled. It was completely unfair.

"Just forget about it for now. Just for a little while." Gilbert eased Draco's hands from his shoulders and laced their fingers together, offering what comfort he could. He knew he was a sad replacement for the man Malfoy truly wanted.

Draco felt the familiar sting of guilt now that his senseless rage was past, but it didn't stop him from accepting the offered hand. It didn't stop him from walking side by side with the brunette to the bedroom, and it certainly didn't stop him later from screaming Harry's name rather than Gilbert's as his whole world came to a shuddering climax.

(_Time skip_.)

"Okay, maybe introducing Scorpius and Rose wasn't the best idea we've ever had," muttered Albus, scuffing his foot through the snow on the ground. James threw a snowball at him that hit him solidly on the shoulder.

"You think?"

The Ravenclaw and the Slytherin got along great. Really great. Apparently if Scorpius hadn't gotten into Slytherin, his next best bet would have been Ravenclaw. He and Rose had taken to having long-winded discussions together about topics that none of the other first years cared about. It was brilliant, of course, because it meant Rose would stand firmly with them when it came time to argue their case this summer. But it was also bloody awful, because it meant that his time with Scorpius was suddenly limited to times that Rose wasn't around to distract him with something or other that she had learned about and wanted to share.

What had started as a snowball fight in the courtyard had died down into yet another academic debate between the blonde and the red-headed girl. The two sat on a bench poring over some boring tome the young witch had discovered in the library and simply _couldn't_ wait to share. Albus felt like going over and interrupting, but he didn't want to irritate Scorpius. Or Rose, really. But he cared just a bit less about her being irritated at him.

"Scor!" He waited until the blonde looked up, still glancing distractedly back down at the book from time to time. "James and I are going back up to the Tower. See you next class." Scorpius waved at him and immediately rejoined Rose in burying their faces into the book, muttering together quietly about what they read.

Frustrated, Albus stomped off, followed by an amused-looking James. "Looks like you're not smart enough to get his attention anymore," James teased. Albus glared at him and gave him a shove, but the idea took root and by the time they were back in Gryffindor Tower he was absolutely convinced that Scorpius didn't want to be his friend anymore because he couldn't hold an intelligent conversation like Rose.

By the time Potions rolled around, Albus wasn't sure if he was more angry or devastated. He was torn between the two powerful emotions by the time his blonde partner came in and joined him at their usual cauldron, and as he looked over at the gray-eyed boy, the anger won out. "Sorry about earlier," Scorpius was saying as he got out his book, not seeing the bubbling fury in his friend's eyes until it was too late.

"Listen, Scorpius, if I'm too stupid to talk to anymore, at least you can tell me instead of just ignoring me all the time," Albus snapped. Scorpius glanced up, concerned and confused, and realized that something was very wrong.

"Albus, what are you talking about?"

Albus scowled. "I'm talking about the fact that you never want to talk to me anymore because you're always talking to Rose! You're always talking to her about this book or that spell or those potions, and I'm sick of just following you around like an idiot, so if I'm too boring to hang out with anymore, just say so!"

Scorpius perched his hands on his hips. "Albus, you're being crazy," said Scorpius. "Rose and I are just getting along like I thought you wanted. You're constantly introducing me to more of your friends and family, and I thought I was supposed to actually try and get along with them. Just because Rose and I talk about things like famous wizards and potions ingredients doesn't mean I don't want to talk to you anymore."

Albus crossed his arms, pouting. "You never do, though."

Scorpius sighed. "If this is about earlier, I _am_ sorry. Rose found something we had been talking about the other day in a book from the library and she wanted to show me before she forgot. I thought you would understand since you and I have been friends for longer. I didn't want to simply push her aside and make her angry enough to hate me or anything."

Albus frowned, still wanting to cling to his anger for some reason, and then gradually relented, dropping his arms. "I'm sorry, too, then. I just thought that we'd be able to hang out all the time like before the holidays and Rose has been getting in the way of that."

Scorpius smiled a little. "I'll try not to let it happen as much anymore. I guess I didn't think about it like that. I knew you wanted me to get on well with her, and I thought you would be happy to see that I was succeeding."

Albus grinned, his good mood restored. "All right, then. So later, we definitely have to have our snowball fight since you ruined it earlier."

Scorpius nodded. "I wouldn't miss it."

(_Time skip_)

Harry assured himself that he had every right to feel concerned on Draco's behalf, and that acting on that concern was also absolutely reasonable. If any of his other friends could date, he would snoop and find out all he could about the stranger until he felt comfortable having them as a part of his friend's life. Sure he would.

Although the self-motivating pep talk didn't make him feel much better, it did distract him long enough to get home, where he planned to drop his things in his room and then leave again. He didn't worry too much about Ginny and Lily. It was rare for them to stay at home all day while Harry was at work. Today, though, he'd had field work instead of his usual hours at a desk, and now that he was finished for the day, he had plenty of free time that Draco would have to spend at the office that Harry could use to be nosy.

A wrench was thrown into his plan when he realized that Ginny was, in fact, still at home. Lily was probably off playing with Hugo at their grandmother's house or something, but Ginny was there when he got inside, and he knew that he wouldn't be running off to spy on his coworker quite as quickly as he had previously intended. Ginny would see to that.

"You're home early," said Ginny, looking surprised as she saw Harry pass through their sitting room heading for his bedroom down the hall. He paused, glancing at her, and shrugged dismissively at her rather obvious statement.

"I had some field work today, but that was all. I was just dropping by to put away my things so I won't have to carry them around for the rest of the day." Ginny nodded acceptingly, still looking rather shocked by his sudden appearance.

"So you've already got plans for the rest of today, then?"

Harry nodded, shifting from foot to foot as he stood in the kitchen doorway, itching to be on his way. "Just a few things to take care of. I should be home about the same time as usual." Before Draco could get off work and get home, that is.

Ginny laced her fingers together and rested her joined hands on the table. "Do you think we have time to talk first? Or are you on a tight schedule?" There was a hint of derision in her tone, as if she expected to be dismissed. Harry felt a distinct satisfaction in proving her wrong, taking the seat opposite her at the table.

"I've got time," he said simply. It would save him trouble in the long run to listen to what Ginny had to say now rather than fighting with her about it later.

Once again, Ginny looked slightly startled, but she quickly controlled it and looked determined instead. "All right." She fidgeted for a moment, looking down at her hands. "Merlin, this isn't exactly easy…. It's been weeks since you moved into the spare room." She glanced up cautiously at Harry. "Have you… missed it? At all?"

Harry knew what she was talking about. Being together. Not just in a sexual way, but just being together, in the same room, the same bed. Sharing the same space. If he was perfectly honest with himself, he didn't miss it a bit. Oh, the companionship, yes. He didn't like sleeping alone after so long having someone there with him. But Ginny specifically, he didn't miss at all. Reluctantly, he shook his head.

Ginny looked somehow relieved and saddened at the same time. "Me, either." Her fingers curled tighter together, and then relaxed again. "I went by and talked to Hermione the other day. She mentioned you'd been by there, too," she added, seeing the way Harry tensed slightly. He nodded tightly, waiting for her to get to the point.

Ginny sighed. "Listen, it's obvious neither of us is happy like this. We fight almost constantly. We're _happy_ to be in separate bedrooms. Harry." He reached out and covered her fidgeting hands with one of his, and she smiled sadly as she looked up at his face. "We're making ourselves miserable like this. Maybe…"

Harry relaxed. He had a feeling he knew where she was going, and he actually felt lucky. Ginny was saving him a lot of stress and drama right now. "Maybe we'd be better off doing something different," he said softly, agreeing with her.

Ginny seemed to suddenly relax. "Yes. Everything seems so different between us now. We used to be so happy together. So… in love."

Harry squeezed her hand. "I still love you. Just… not in the same way." Ginny nodded. Yes, that explained it exactly.

"We have to talk to the kids about it. Make sure they understand." Ginny looked down again, then back up once more.

Harry smiled reassuringly. "Maybe this will be best for them, too. It's not fair to force them to grow up in a house where there's always fighting. And we'll be happy, if we do this. We can go back to being friends." Harry hesitated. "A… friend told me that we deserve to be truly happy, both of us, even if that means we can't be together. It might be what's best for everyone involved. There might be someone else out there that's better for each of us than we are for each other, and we should have the chance to find them."

Ginny's brow furrowed for a moment, but then she sighed. "I assume Malfoy told you that. Regardless, it's true, as much as I might hate him." Ginny sighed, and then squeezed Harry's hand in hers. "So we'll do this. For both of us. And for the children."

Harry nodded, then leaned over for the first time in weeks and kissed Ginny's forehead gently. "This will fix a lot of things for us," he promised her, standing. "I have to go. But we'll talk more tonight, after dinner, okay? Once Lily's in bed." Ginny nodded. "We'll wait for Easter holidays to tell the kids, though. I want to tell them in person, all at once; not through a letter." Ginny nodded again. That was perfectly reasonable, and actually the way she preferred it.

Feeling oddly light hearted for a man whose marriage was coming to an end, Harry took his things to the spare room and then left the house. A great weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Separating from Ginny meant no more fighting, no more stress and drama. It also meant he would have to start dating again in order to find his true love, as Draco had explained it. Someone out there was meant for him. He just had to find her.

Or him. Harry couldn't help but consider it for just a moment, slowing as he thought about Draco Malfoy and the blonde's current situation. He had married to a woman and been miserable, and he had found at least some semblance of happiness with another man afterward. He had never even considered it before. How had Draco figured out that he was gay? He would have to ask, though Draco would probably say something about his lack of tact again. He didn't really mind, though. That was just how Draco was.

Harry Apparated to Draco's house and wondered briefly if Gilbert would be working today or if he would be inside. He could always come up with some sort of lie for why he was sneaking into Draco's home if he was caught. Ministry business, none of your concern. Of course, Gilbert would immediately tell Draco that Harry had been there, Ministry business or not. And knowing Draco, he wouldn't take kindly to the invasion of privacy.

Harry yanked at his hair, feeling torn. He was desperately curious to know more about Draco's personal life. It seemed like the blonde already knew everything there was about his own life, and it wasn't fair that the reverse wasn't true. And he couldn't see if tonight could be a drinking night because he had promised Ginny he would be home so they could talk about their plans for divorce. Separating. That was a nicer word. They were planning to separate.

Harry had been standing on Draco's front step this entire time, contemplating, when the door suddenly opened, startling him back a few steps. Gilbert stood there, looking faintly amused, bundled up in another of Draco's shirts with a pair of long pants and socks on. "Are you looking for Draco? He's still at work."

Harry flushed. "Sorry, I was just… I mean…"

Gilbert's smile widened. "Were you hoping to talk to me, then? I assure you I've got a clean record. Draco means a great deal to me." Harry's blush deepened. Merlin, the man seemed completely oblivious to his embarrassment. "Come in, Harry, come in. Draco wouldn't approve of me keeping you out in the cold." He shooed the man inside and shut the door behind him. "Would you like some tea? It's dreadfully cold out there, isn't it?"

Harry declined, feeling awfully out of place alone with the male lover of his also male coworker. Gilbert herded him into the sitting room and settled on the couch comfortably, smiling pleasantly at Harry as he sat awkwardly in one of the chairs. "So, I'm sure you've got just dozens of questions for me, Auror Harry. Fire away," he invited cheerfully. Harry had the awful feeling that he had just stepped into deep water and would soon be in over his head.

_(Okay, so it definitely got angsty there for a bit. But I leveled it out a bit with him and Ginny finally not fighting, right? I really don't hate her, there's just something about her I don't like. Gilbert is one of my favorite OCs I've done in a while, though. ^^ I'm already getting ideas for future chapters.  
I hope everyone enjoys this. I actually came close to nudging this into an M rating, but maybe next chapter. Malfoy came dreadfully close during the original rampage I wrote. His language was atrocious. But I toned it down in the rewrite. Next time… well, we'll see.  
Let me know what you think! Should I bump up the rating? Are things good as they are? Review, please, my lovely readers!)_


	10. Chapter 10

_(All right, chapter ten. ^^ As far as the rating goes... I have a feeling it will eventually go up. Maybe not this chapter, but… Well, we'll just have to see, won't we?  
*cries* I'm American. All your British slang confuses me. I've done really well remembering to read back five times to make sure 'elevator' is 'lift', and I remembered that American 'pants' are 'trousers', because British 'pants' are actually 'underwear'. But it's a bit of a struggle. DX Please don't hate me for any stupid American words I use in place of British ones. Or for any slang I find on the Internet that isn't actually correct. This silly American girl is doing her best!  
I'm so glad everyone enjoyed the last chapter. With the divorce now practically in the works, things can begin to get… interesting. And Gil will continue to provide the comedy relief. XD I think you guys will enjoy it. Make sure to let me know just how much by reviewing, please, my lovely readers.)_

"So, I'm sure you've got just dozens of questions for me, Auror Harry. Fire away."

Gilbert smiled warmly, inviting Harry to speak, but the slightly taller brunette was at a loss for words. "I… Ah…" Harry tugged a lock of his hair uneasily. It was odd how comfortable Gilbert seemed about this whole situation. Or was it odd that _he_ wasn't? It wasn't like he had any designs on Draco or anything, despite Gilbert's words the first time they had met.

"I, well, thank you, I guess. For helping me out with Draco's Christmas present." Gilbert laughed, making Harry flush.

"So Draco told you about that, huh? I knew who you were as soon as I saw you, and when you described Draco, well, I knew I had to make sure you got him the perfect gift." Gilbert's smile softened, and he absently ran his fingers along the back of the couch. "I had considered getting it for him myself, but I already had a few things wrapped up for him, and you looked like you needed it more than I did." Harry had to work hard not to gape at him.

"Why would you do that? You said…" His blush darkened, making Gilbert's smile widen once more. "You said you were worried about… you know, me and Draco. Why would you help me get him a perfect gift, then?"

Gilbert sighed and shook his head slowly. "If Draco wanted you, he would have you whether you gave him the better gift or I did. Draco does as he pleases, and something petty like trying to ruin his friendship with you would not stop him if he grew tired of me and chose to pursue you. All I can do is work to make him happy. And you made him happy this Christmas when you shared your family and yourself with him. I would feel horrible knowing I did something to ruin that. I would never regret assisting you as I did, no matter what came of it."

Harry felt that lump in his throat growing bigger. "Do you… love him?"

Gilbert's smile became sad and it faded slightly. "Yes, I believe I do. Draco is an incredibly complex person. To be allowed to fully see who he is, how he thinks… It would be impossible not to love him once you have seen all there is of him, both inside and out. He trusts so few people with himself, choosing to wear a mask with everyone… Except you."

Harry blinked. "You can tell?" He and Gilbert had only come in contact one time prior to this, and he couldn't remember Draco being particularly trusting in any way that Gilbert could have observed. Unless it was just something he, Harry, couldn't read that Gilbert could because he just knew Draco so much better.

Gilbert's smile grew knowing and secretive. "Listen, love, when you live with a man like Draco, you learn to read him like a book if you want to last for very long. Draco trusts you as he trusts no one else, save perhaps me. You might want to ask yourself why."

Harry found it difficult to wrap his mind around this surprising bit of information. Draco trusted him as much as he trusted Gilbert. What in the world had he done to earn such? Gilbert's voice tore him out of his thoughts and back into the conversation at hand.

"If you don't mind my asking, what exactly _did_ you come here for?" Gilbert smiled sheepishly, but he didn't seem to regret the question, and definitely seem to be waiting for an answer. Tactless, Draco would say.

Harry glanced away, suddenly feeling awkward again. _I was relieved when I heard you were married. I was getting jealous of Draco going out with you so often._ How would Gilbert react to the news that he and Ginny were getting a divorce? Would he start to get possessive and clingy and start acting like Ginny had, trying to keep them from being friends? Would Draco allow Gilbert to ruin their friendship? _…And something petty like trying to ruin his friendship with you would not stop him if he grew tired of me and chose to pursue you._ No, Gilbert had just said he would do no such thing. Besides, married or divorced, he still (most likely) wasn't gay.

Gilbert had nothing to worry about.

"I just… wanted to talk to Draco about some things. Personal… things." Harry wasn't sure quite what to do anymore. Hang around waiting for Draco so he could tell him about the divorce? Go ahead and leave and tell him tomorrow at the Ministry, since it was clear Gilbert didn't intend to leave him alone anytime soon to give him proper snooping time?

"Ah, well, you're welcome to stay here until he gets home from work. I'm sure Draco will be pleased to see you." Gilbert pushed himself to his feet. "Are you sure you don't want any tea? I was just considering making myself some when you showed up." Harry opened his mouth to refuse yet again, then considered. If Gilbert was in the kitchen making tea, he might be able to save this botched mission and get a bit of snooping done after all!

"Actually, that does sound quite nice." Gilbert smiled and nodded, turning to leave the room. "Do you mind if I, ah…" Harry stood as Gilbert paused, gesturing vaguely toward the hall. Gilbert chuckled and shook his head.

Harry managed a smile and didn't hesitate to disappear out of the other brunette's sight into the hallway. He glanced around, noting each door and guessing at its contents. He remembered the bathroom and Scorpius' room from Christmas. That meant that the third door, down at the end of the hall, was the master bedroom. Harry hesitated, listening carefully to be sure that Gilbert was still puttering around in the kitchen, then snuck down and tested the doorknob, pleased when it quietly turned under his hand and the door swung open.

Harry glanced over his shoulder and then slipped inside, quietly closing the door back behind him. Pulling his wand, he murmured, "Lumos," and lifted the glowing tip higher to illuminate his surroundings without alerting Gilbert any sooner than necessary to his prying. The room was tidy, as expected, with a rather large suitcase tucked away against one wall. Probably Gilbert's, Harry decided. It would make it easy to move out quickly when Scorpius came home.

Moving further into the room, Harry continued to make mental notes. The king size bed dominated the far wall, beautifully carved with black sheets and comfortable-looking pillows. A flash of what Draco might look like sprawled there, blonde hair spilling artfully over dark sheets, struck him. It was almost immediately followed by in image of Gilbert in the bed with him, dark hair against pale skin… Harry shook his head violently. _Just because you _might_ consider exploring your sexuality after the divorce does _not_ make it okay to fantasize about your coworker, especially not one already in a relationship, especially not Draco Malfoy._

Deliberately turning away from the bed, his eyes lit upon a bookshelf that appeared to be well and fully stuffed full of books. He doubted there was space for even the slimmest paperback among all the other titles already shoved onto the shelves. Not too far away was a wardrobe, which Harry assumed held all of Draco's clothes, just as the suitcase held Gilbert's.

The last thing Harry saw, aside from the door to the second bathroom, was the writing desk that was sitting not too far from the… furniture that he wasn't thinking about. Carefully avoiding even brushing against _that_ furniture, he circled around to the desk and leaned in close, pausing again to listen for Gilbert. The man still seemed to be oblivious to his plans. Satisfied, Harry sat at the desk chair and quietly tugged open the first drawer, disappointed to find only blank parchment and quills inside. The next drawer was bottles of ink in several colors. The third drawer, however, was much, much more interesting.

Harry pulled out a stack of Daily Prophet newspapers that appeared to be quite old and well-read. The pages were marked and worn from being turned and re-turned, and Harry couldn't stifle his curiosity. Of all newspapers, the Daily Prophet was the most anti-Death Eater, anti-pureblood, anti-everything Draco had once been a part of. For him to collect several issues of it meant that whatever was inside was extremely significant to Draco.

Harry carefully unfolded the first one, dating back to a little over a year ago. Second page, bottom right, located directly beneath an article that was actually about one of _his_ cases from back then, the Malfoy name jumped out at him. It was a small article about the Malfoy-Greengrass divorce that had been in the works back then, before everything was finalized apparently. Right above it was a small picture of the family, taken at some sort of Ministry function, or so he assumed. He had never paid much attention to those types of things. Draco had a hand on his son's shoulder, keeping him close. Astoria seemed almost distant from husband and son, her small smile cold and ice. Harry shivered. Merlin, she looked like a right piece of work.

Harry skimmed the article, nothing too important. He refolded it and carefully set it aside before moving on to the next. This article was bigger, with a picture of just Astoria this time, giving the camera that same cool smile. It was an interview from Astoria to Rita Skeeter about her awful home life, basically the exact same story she had apparently told Ginny. No love, no freedom, no sexual relations. Blah, blah, blah.

Harry ignored the article on the opposite page that had his picture and an article about his accomplishments as an Auror, putting this paper aside as well. The third paper was practically the same, as was the fourth. The fifth one, however, gave him pause. This time the interview was with Draco. The picture at the top was of just him and Scorpius, standing close together. They were a family, and Astoria was an unwelcome outsider. Harry was glad, knowing what he knew now, that Draco had kicked her out of his life.

Draco's interview was much different from Astoria's.

_I: Is it true that your marriage had been falling apart for some time? That both you and your wife have been with other people?_

_D: Yes, we were both having affairs. Discreet, for Scorpius' sake, but hardly a secret between the two of us. We discussed it extensively one night and agreed that it was the best thing for everyone involved, back when Scorpius was still rather young. This bollocks about me cheating on her while she was faithful all along is absolutely rubbish. If she tells you otherwise, I suggest Veritaserum. The bint is obviously lying._

_I: Is it true that you subjected Astoria to any kind of abuse…?_

_D: Absolutely not. I never laid a hand on her physically, never cast any harmful spells, and I certainly didn't harass her mentally, emotionally, or any other way you might imply. We married knowing that all I wanted was an heir, and all she wanted was money. Once Scorpius was born we might as well have been two strangers sharing a roof rather than husband and wife. If she suffered any abuse, check with her lovers. Good luck finding them all, though._

_I: Astoria claims that you monopolize your son's time and deny her the right to be with him as a mother should._

_D: It is not I that keep her from him. She did it herself. She never wanted to mother him or be with him when he was young. Now that he is older and she finds him acceptable to be seen with in public, she's showing interest and Scorpius isn't responding because she's never acted like a mother should before. She thinks having Scorpius on her side will win this divorce case for her, but I refuse to let that happen. I don't care what else she tries to claim, what else she intends to gain from all this, but she will _never_ have Scorpius._

_I: Why now? It will be virtually impossible to keep any aspect of this high-profile break up a secret from your son, which, as you yourself said, has been a large factor in the decisions you've made about your relationship prior to this moment. Why have you chosen now to end this façade of a marriage, and what do you intend to tell Scorpius?_

_D: The truth. I will tell Scorpius the truth. He is old enough now to handle it, I think, and it is high time that I stopped wasting my life being miserable as I am now with Astoria. I will admit that things have been growing worse lately, and I think it will do Scorpius more harm to try and protect him from bad publicity and force him to live with parents that hate each other than it will to allow him to know the truth and let us go our separate ways. It is in everyone's best interest, I believe. My own, Astoria's, and Scorpius'. That is all the reason I need to go through with this now, rather than waiting even a moment longer._

Harry lowered the paper and swallowed, no longer concerned about how long he had been absent, or about Gilbert finding him, or Draco, for that matter. Astoria had accused Draco of dreadful things, and had probably taken advantage of the fact that he was a Death Eater to make everyone see her side. But she hadn't succeeded. Draco still had won Scorpius. No wonder she was still bitterly spreading such awful lies about him.

Troubled, he read further.

_Draco Malfoy was true to his word. In the divorce case that followed, the former Death Eater fought desperately to retain full custody of his only son, Scorpius. Astoria refused to back down, and as weeks became months it seemed as though the case would drag on forever when a sudden agreement was reached by both sides that ended the war. Astoria Malfoy nee Greengrass inherited the entire Malfoy fortune, while Draco Malfoy and his son retained the Manor and its contents, though without a Galleon to their name.  
Mere weeks after the divorce was settled between Astoria Greengrass and Draco Malfoy, the elder Malfoy sold off the Manor and the better part of all that was inside before he dropped off the map with young Scorpius._

Harry dropped the newspaper and stared down at the space where the faded black text had just been, his breath caught in his throat. _Without a Galleon to their name._ Draco had had no choice but to get a job. He could only assume that the Manor had brought in a hefty sum, but not nearly enough to live off of. No wonder he now lived in such a small home, with such simple furnishings, instead of the grandiose style of the Manor.

"Tsk."

Harry whirled as the light suddenly flicked on at the same time as he heard the voice behind him, startling him, and cool gray eyes met wild green as a resigned sigh finally broke the brief silence between them.

"I suppose I should have warned Gilbert about your tendency to stick your nose where it doesn't belong."

Draco crossed the room and scooped up the papers Harry had been reading, placing them back in the drawer where they belonged. "Find anything particularly interesting while you were sniffing through my things?" he asked shortly. Harry simply couldn't tell if the man was truly angry or merely annoyed. It was hard to tell.

"Draco, I…" He spotted Gilbert in the doorway, peeking in at them. "I didn't mean to… I had no idea…" Draco made a soft humming sound in his throat as he stood in front of the seated Auror, arms crossed over his chest.

"Well, if you read the paper back then, you would have. Just like everybody else already does. But since you didn't, I had thought I would be safe. But you couldn't just sit back and enjoy something simple." He prodded Harry's chest with his finger, brows narrowed. Harry was beginning to realize that yes, Draco was actually angry. "No, you had to sneak and pry and figure out every bloody thing there is to know about me. You just had to go and ruin everything!" Harry flinched as the taller man's voice suddenly grew louder.

A pair of arms quietly wound around Draco's waist from behind, and Harry watched as Gilbert's face appeared at the blonde's shoulder and rested against it. "Draco," he murmured soothingly. Harry felt his stomach tighten, and something strange and unfamiliar churned through him as he watched Gilbert lean against Draco like he belonged there, like he was confident that he was welcome and never considered that his interference might not be appreciated as he soothed the blonde's ire with gentle words and soft touches.

Draco closed his eyes for a moment, and when he let out his breath it held a faint shudder. "I think you should go, Harry."

The brunette stood, but he didn't leave yet. He clenched his hands into fists at his sides. He had known Draco wouldn't appreciate his prying. He had known that. He had gone through with it despite anyway, and that made this entirely his fault. Draco had every right to be angry that his privacy had been invaded like this. But he couldn't leave until he told Draco his news, at least, lest he never get the opportunity to talk to him again after this moment. Considering he had helped him get to this point, it was only fair to keep him in the loop, in Harry's eyes. "I just wanted to let you know that Ginny and I are, in fact, going to go through with the divorce." Stormy eyes snapped open and focused on his face, the dark haze of anger in them replaced with shock. "She actually brought it up today, and we agreed it was for the best. I just thought you might like to know." Harry glanced to the side, then back up at Draco. "I really am sorry. I… just couldn't help myself."

Draco was still watching him silently, his expression unreadable. "I'll see you at work, Harry." Harry's shoulders slumped in defeat, and he nodded morosely before edging around the couple in front of him, heading for the door. "We'll discuss Friday then." Harry paused, uncertain, and then glanced back. Had he heard that right? Draco was watching him still, Gilbert pressed tightly against his back, also watching him. The ridiculous urge to force the slightly shorter brunette to release him washed over Harry, but he ignored it and nodded instead, then turned to leave. Gilbert released Draco after a moment and followed to lock Harry out.

He hesitated, standing at the door, as Harry stepped out into the cold. "He's just overreacting, Harry. He'll have forgiven you by this time tomorrow. Trust me." Gilbert smiled reassuringly and Harry drew some small comfort from it as he nodded again. When he wasn't plastered against Draco like a leech, Harry liked the other brunette.

Harry trudged away from the house far enough to Apparate and headed home to his future ex-wife and his daughter, his mind whirling sickly with confusing emotions, twisted fantasies, and a horrible dread in the pit of his stomach that he had just done something that would forever alter his relationship with his blonde coworker.

Back inside, Gilbert pressed his forehead against the cool door for a moment, then retreated back to the bedroom to tend to his lover. Draco was standing just as he'd left him, and he didn't struggle as Gilbert wound his arms around him once again. He just groaned and buried his face into the brunette's dark hair.

"Why does he have to ruin everything," the blonde moaned. Gilbert didn't bother trying to come up with an answer, merely pressing his lips to Draco's neck as he held him tightly, offering what little he had that might placate the taller man. But Draco wasn't having it. He pushed Gilbert away, his gaze darkening and growing more intense.

"Don't just pretend you don't have anything to say. You've always got an opinion about everything that goes on around here, whether I want to hear it or not. The one time I want to know your thoughts, don't you dare keep them in your bloody thrice-bedamned head!"

Gilbert sighed and sank down on the foot of the bed, watching Draco stand there and glower at him ominously. "I just don't think he really ruined anything, Draco. He would have found out eventually, you know."

Draco snarled a curse. "But now I can't… Aagh, don't you get it? Even if he does end up gay or bisexual or whatever he wants to end up calling it, which is still incredibly unlikely, I can't act on it now! He'll think I'm after his money! As far as his oblivious mind figures, I've been his friend up until now. If I suddenly start trying to win his heart, he's going to assume it's because he's got thousands of Galleons to spare in the bank and not only will I lose any chance of ever being with him, I'll lose his friendship, too. If I'd won his heart first, I could have explained it to him afterward." Draco seemed determined to work himself into a frenzy similar to the other day.

Gilbert scratched the back of his neck. "You might could still make it work, Draco. I don't think he'll think so poorly of you after all of this you two have been through. If you wanted to mooch money off him, couldn't you have been doing so by now?" Draco shrugged, clinging to his anger like a security blanket. It was easier to be angry than it was to be vulnerable. "Well, there you go, then. I'm sure you're just overreacting. Settle things with him on Friday, or whatever day you two meet up next, and see where things go from there. He's getting the divorce, Draco." He waited until gray eyes drifted up to meet his before he repeated reassuringly, "He's getting the divorce."

(_Time skip_.)

Albus and his 'Shadow' were sitting in the library working. For once, Rose had opted not to join them, since she had already finished her work (bloody lucky Ravenclaw) and Scorpius had assured her they were more than capable of figuring out their own work for themselves. After the brief argument between the duo about Rose, Scorpius had started to consciously decrease Rose's time spent with them so that it could be like it used to, just Albus and Scorpius together for the majority of the day. The blonde certainly didn't mind it, and if it meant that much to Albus, who was he to try and ruin the Gryffindor's fun?

"And done." Scorpius shifted his book closer to Albus so the other boy could see to copy, leaving his scroll out just in case that was needed, as well. "You know you're going to have to figure this stuff out for yourself if you're ever going to pass any tests."

Albus scribbled furiously, tongue caught between his teeth as he concentrated. "I understand it," he muttered, "I just hate having to work for hours to get these stupid scrolls written out for all these teachers. You can do it so much faster than me."

Scorpius smiled briefly. "Either way, you're going to have to work harder to be ready for the end of the year. We're already more than halfway there, Al. And you're still copying half your homework from me in practically every class."

Albus stuck out his tongue and then pouted. "I change some of the words," he defended himself, brows furrowing.

Scorpius chuckled. "Yes, you change the bigger words to smaller ones so they'll be even faster to write, you mean."

Albus scowled. "If I copied it word for word, they would know we cheated." Scorpius waved aside his complaints and smiled at Albus.

"Yes, yes, just hurry up. I'd like to be done here before curfew." Albus grinned, his good mood restored by the simple, sincere smile that so few people ever got to see, and quickly bowed his head over his work once more, moving much more quickly now with something to copy rather than having to come up with the answers on his own. He knew he was capable, or he wouldn't allow himself the luxury of copying it from Scorpius. It was just easier this way.

"You know, James and I were talking the other day. Rose always comes over from the Ravenclaw table to sit with us. We were wondering if you would start doing that, too. You know, every day. Permanently." Scorpius glanced over, mildly surprised, and saw that a red flush had colored his friend's neck and ears, his face lowered to the paper as he appeared to wait nervously for his answer to the offer. Scorpius smiled a little.

"That sounds nice."

Albus dotted his last sentence with a period at the end and began to pack away his things, nudging all of the Slytherin student's belongings over closer to him as he grinned, his skin still flushed with emotion, though clearly he wasn't nervous anymore. "Brilliant. So in the morning we'll see you at breakfast, then."

Scorpius nodded and packed away his things as Albus pushed them toward him. "And again at lunch, and again at dinner. Every single day. Yes, I know how it works." Albus stuck out his tongue again, scooping his bag onto his shoulder as he shoved his chair under. Scorpius grinned and tossed the strap of his own bag over his arm.

Albus took off running, and Scorpius was right on his tail, muffling their laughter until they cleared the library doors. Then it bounced off the high stone walls, high and boisterous. With the bullies dealt with and the majority of their family now friends with Scorpius, there didn't seem to be a problem in the world in the lives of the two boys.

They had no idea, of course, of the drama brewing at home.

_(Well, wow. This chapter definitely centered on Harry and Draco rather than the boys. I barely found a reason to plug them in at all. I didn't even realize until I started typing this note just how much space I took up with Drarry. It was surprising.  
I hope I did this well. I felt like Draco drifted toward OOC a bit in places, but I rewrote countless times to try and fix it, and actually had to take a scene out. I'll have to find a place to refit it into the story later. But I digress. Please let me know if I failed in any way. My muse floundered this week. But I felt guilty waiting so long to post again, so I knew I had to try, and once I got halfway through, it started flowing more easily.  
Review, my lovely readers! With luck the next chapter will come a bit more easily.)_


	11. Chapter 11

_(Wow, I have been so out of it lately. Between getting sick, and my continuing family problem that has improved but not gone away, my muse has just been absolutely shot. But here I am, trying to pull together another chapter worthy of my lovely readers. At this point, I'm finally at a place that I can tell you the specifics of my 'family crisis'. My mother was diagnosed with leukemia in January. It's been very rough. But she's improved quite a lot at this point, so I feel like I can resume writing now. Nothing I attempted before came out right.  
I hope everyone enjoyed the last chapter. Every time I reread it I feel like there's something off about it still. It was probably because of my muse being so shaken up due to everything going on. Hopefully this one will come out a bit better than the last one. Please review, my lovely readers! Your comments always make my day and I need the mood boost now more than ever!)_

Harry trudged into work Monday morning with a curious mixture of anticipation and dread curling through his gut. He had imagined a thousand outcomes for what would place when he encountered Draco at work; a fair number of them were rather positive, but the majority ended with him being hexed into the next century. Not that it wouldn't be justified. Harry had known that Draco would be livid about the privacy breach.

He didn't regret it, though. No matter what came of it all, he didn't regret it. So much suddenly seemed clear, he felt rather like an idiot for not having puzzled it out for himself. He had seen first-hand some of the discrimination toward Death Eaters and Purebloods, and he had turned a blind eye to it because it had seemed just at the time, to see criminals that had once been aristocrats finally put into their place. But for Scorpius to lose his home and his family's fortune because of a bias against his father suddenly seemed cruel.

As for Draco, he had been ripped out of the only home he had ever known, a home he had shared with his parents, who were now far from his reach, and forced to make a living with, and get through life in general enduring, others and their slander. But, what had once been just now seemed unjust. Harry had no idea what he could do to make it better. It was one of the many things he now wanted to discuss with Draco, should he be given the opportunity.

Harry saw neither hide nor hair of Draco all day. Even when he went by the blonde's office, he was curiously absent. That dread in his stomach began to grow; had Draco even bothered to show up today, or would he go so far to avoid Harry as to take a day off from work? But no, no, he had said they would discuss their usual Friday meeting at work, so surely he intended to come and do so.

And if not, well Harry had told Ginny he might be a little late getting home tonight, so he would have time to go to Draco's home and confront him there. She hadn't seemed to mind a bit, even encouraging him to stay late if need be. It seemed that even the idea of ending their struggling relationship was enough to ease the tension that had been hanging over their home after all this time. It should have been a troubling thought, but instead it brought only relief.

By the end of the day Harry was feeling just a bit frustrated. He was one of the first to clear his office and make it to the lifts, waiting patiently as his coworkers passed him, eyes sharp for the impeccable head of blonde hair that was sure to come this way eventually.

It didn't take Draco long at all to show up, looking like his usual self, groomed to perfection and as bloody handsome as ever. Harry blinked as his mind processed the thought, which had formed unbidden at the sight of his Slytherin friend. _Calm down, Harry, calm down._ He didn't have to be gay to recognize a good-looking bloke. Did he? No. Of course not.

Slightly shaken, he raised a hand in greeting and called, "Draco!" He watched as the slightly taller man paused, searching for him. Their eyes locked and Harry felt a tug in his stomach. Had his eyes always looked like that, like molten silver? Shaking himself mentally, Harry forced the thought out of his mind as the blonde quickly closed the distance between them.

"Harry." The brunette winced slightly at the icy tone. It seemed Draco had not yet forgiven him for his snooping, despite what Gilbert had said to the contrary.

"Draco. Listen, I really am sorry about this weekend. I never meant to… That is, I only wanted to…" He trailed off, at a loss for words.

Draco watched him struggle for a moment before rolling his eyes. "I suppose it's foolish to remain angry at you when I suspected you would end up doing something similar from the start." Harry bristled, insulted, but Draco smirked. "You're known for your snooping, Potter. You didn't make Head Auror from being honest all the time." You certainly didn't bring about the fall of the Dark Lord without a bit of deception or snooping, either, but it didn't seem necessary to mention all that just to get his point across.

Harry relaxed slightly and nodded, though he still looked less than pleased to have apparently been thought so poorly of from the beginning. "Well, anyway. I just wanted to apologize again. And…" He hesitated momentarily. "About Friday…"

Draco was quiet for a moment, considering. "I'm not against meeting as usual if you aren't, I suppose. But, Harry." He waited until green eyes were locked directly with his own. "The next time you have some burning desire to delve into my personal life, at least have the decency to ask me directly before you go through my belongings."

Harry flushed, causing Draco to chuckle at his embarrassment. "Yeah, of course; see you Friday, then." Draco nodded.

"Yes. Friday, if not before."

They parted ways there, and Harry headed home with his mind still buzzing, but with his stomach no longer in knots. He would ask all his questions of Draco on Friday, concerning both the divorce and more of Draco's past. He still had a slew of questions he wanted answered by the blonde on a number of subjects.

Harry knew that the house was empty as soon as he opened the door. It was far too quiet for both Ginny and Lily to be home. A note on the counter confirmed his thoughts.

_Harry,_

_ Took Lily to play with Hugo; they're both at my Mum's house. I'll be picking her up tomorrow; Lily decided that she wanted to stay the night. I've gone out to do a few things; I know you said you might be late. Don't wait up for me._

_ Ginny_

Harry shrugged and tossed the note back onto the counter. It seemed he was free for the evening, then. He was tempted to go and visit Draco, but he didn't want to press his luck with the blonde. He had been surprisingly understanding about the entire situation, but he didn't want to push it too far and end up back on the blonde's hate list.

_Besides,_ _he's probably spending the evening with Gilbert._

The idea did not sit well with Harry as he busied himself with finding something for dinner, but even more uncomfortable was the feeling itself. What did he care who Draco was spending his evenings with? So long as it was no one of questionable morals that could tempt him into using Dark Magic, it was really none of his concern. Draco was free to be in a relationship with whomever he chose, whether they were a witch or a wizard, or even a Muggle, though the very idea had Harry laughing at the ridiculousness of it.

Somehow, Harry found himself at his fireplace, doubting himself and his actions even as he made the Fire-call to Draco's. It wasn't a big deal, or so he told himself. If Draco was there, he would ask to come through and they could spend the evening together chatting. If he wasn't there, no harm done. If Gilbert was there, he would just pop right back out again and pretend it never happened. Simple enough. Still, Harry hesitated as the flames went green before him, just before he plunged his head into the fire, saying, "Draco Malfoy!"

Several disorienting moments later, when his head stopped spinning, Harry found himself staring out from the fireplace into Draco's sitting room. There was a light on in the kitchen from what he could tell, slightly illuminating the entryway; the rest of the room was shrouded in shadows aside from what was lit by the flames in which Harry's head now appeared. He tried to peer around the room, wondering where the house's inhabitants were, when a soft squeaking sound had him going still. He frowned, and tried to listen harder.

The sound came again, quiet and yet nearby. It was difficult to place, but perhaps that was due in part to the crackling of the fire in his ears. When it came a third time, Harry figured out what it was just as a familiar voice groaned, "Salazar…" Harry panicked, somehow torn between deciding to back out of the fireplace and twisting himself to see the couch better. Someone's breath hissed in the air, and then Draco spoke again, softly, "Gilbert."

A muffled grunt was the only response, but after a few moments a breathless, "What?" broke through the otherwise silent room.

Harry found himself holding his breath, listening intently while also trying to remain quiet. Obviously the couple twined on the couch was too self-involved to notice the eavesdropper in their fireplace. Harry intended to be gone before they could realize he was there. But he couldn't help lingering just a bit longer.

Apparently Draco was communicating wordlessly now, because the next thing Harry heard was the rustle of clothing and the squeaking of the couch yet again, continuously this time as if one of them was changing his position. When the noises died down, the room was pierced with a muffled moan, followed by a muttered, "Godric, yes, Draco."

Harry felt that curious bubble of ill humor in his stomach again, the same one he had felt when he had watched Gilbert drape himself over his blonde friend's shoulders on Friday. Rather than analyzing the troubling sensation, Harry quickly pulled himself out of the fireplace and fell back onto the floor in his own home with a thud.

Shaking his head, Harry got to his feet and decided that he was never, ever going to Fire-call Draco without warning ever again. Forcing the entire confusing event from his mind, he decided to call it an early night and try to get some sleep. Hours later, staring at the ceiling, he refused to acknowledge the thoughts nibbling at the edges of his mind like tiny, hungry fish about what exactly had caused such a lusty moan from his usually-reserved Slytherin friend.

_(Time skip)_

"I feel like I'm betraying my house by cheering for James with you," commented Scorpius as they trudged toward the Quidditch pitch. "I mean, it's one thing when Gryffindor is playing Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff, but I think I should support my own House, as Rose does." Albus grinned at him as they made their way up into the stands.

"You can cheer for Slytherin, that's fine. But you also have to cheer for James. It's not like he's the Seeker or anything, he's just a Beater." Scorpius rolled his eyes and watched as the two teams made their way onto the field from the locker rooms.

"That would mean I'm cheering whenever one of the Slytherin team gets hit with a Bludger." Albus laughed at the face his friend made.

"Well, as long as nobody gets hurt too badly, what does it really matter? It's all just part of the game, right?"

Scorpius glanced away from the field and looked over at Albus, a smile grudgingly finding its way to his lips. "…I suppose."

Albus beamed. "Good. Hey, I'll cheer a little for Slytherin, too, if that would make you feel better about cheering for Gryffindor."

Scorpius' smile widened slightly. "That would be fair," he agreed with a nod, and so the match commenced. It felt a bit odd, to basically be cheering for both sides to win, but neither boy had any problem with it since it didn't matter much to either of them personally. Next year it would possibly be an entirely different matter, once they were given the opportunity to play for themselves if they so chose.

It was a close match, with each team securing fifty points, keeping the score tied for the entirety of the game. Finally, it was the Slytherin Seeker that managed to swipe the Snitch out of the sky, securing the win for Slytherin.

Albus wasn't too fazed by the loss, congratulating Scorpius for being in the winning team's House. But by the time they got down from the stands, James had come out of the locker room looking livid. He was not at all happy about losing to Slytherin, nevermind that it was their first loss of the season and they still had a chance at winning at the end of the year.

Spotting Scorpius and Albus walking by, James singled them out, driven purely by the leftover adrenaline from the game and the sting of his first defeat. "You Slytherin prat!" he shouted, causing both first years to freeze and look in his direction, startled. "I can't believe we lost to your stupid bloody House! You lot always have been known as cheating wankers, though, haven't you?" Albus looked horrified by his older brother's words, but Scorpius was already retreating behind a stoic mask, protecting his feelings from the harsh insults being flung at him.

"I think Slytherin won fairly, without cheating," said Scorpius coolly, "But if you don't think so, perhaps you should take it up with someone that can do something about it, instead of me." The blonde turned away, intending to head back into the school with or without the Gryffindors. Albus glared at James and rushed to keep up with his best friend.

James raised his voice and called after them, "You know, I heard your dad was a cheating plonker when he was in school, too."

Scorpius stopped and whipped around to face the older boy, his cool mask shattered to reveal the burning fury underneath. "Don't talk about my father that way," he growled, fists clenching and unclenching at his sides.

"Yeah, don't talk about his father that way!" said Albus, immediately leaping to Scorpius' defense. James was acting way out of line, and it didn't matter how much thicker blood was supposed to be than water, Albus wasn't going to back him up in bullying Scorpius just because he was being a sore loser at Quidditch.

James glared at them both, his gaze flicking back and forth between his brother and his 'shadow'. "I bet you were cheering for the Slytherin team, too, eh, Albus? Supporting the enemy over your own brother!"

Albus gaped at him. "Scorpius isn't the enemy! It's just a Quidditch game, James! It's not as big a deal as you're making it out to be!"

Scorpius turned away before James could say any more and dashed toward the castle, leaving the two brothers behind. He refused to stay and listen to these insults. Ignoring Albus as he shouted his name, the Slytherin quickly disappeared from sight, heading straight for the Slytherin Common Room at top speed.

Albus rounded on the older brunette, furious. "How could you say that to Scorpius? He didn't do anything to you, you prat!" He scowled, adding, "I'm never going to play Quidditch, if this is what it does to you."

With that, he turned and ran toward the castle as fast as his legs could carry him, calling Scorpius' name loudly. He knew exactly where the blonde would be going; he only hoped he could catch up in time to stop him before he disappeared into the Slytherin dungeons, past where he, as a Gryffindor, could follow.

_(Time skip)_

"Is it me," asked Harry, "Or did this week seem to drag on longer than usual?"

Draco chuckled softly and ordered their drinks, glancing sideways at his companion. "Rough week, I take it. What, is the She-Weasel having second thoughts?"

Harry quickly shook his head. "No, no. Things have been brilliant at home, actually. We don't fight half so much anymore. Ginny does her thing during the day, I do mine, and we spend most evenings home together with Lily." He ran his fingers through his hair with a sigh. "I've just been doing some more thinking."

"A dangerous pastime," said Draco teasingly, smirking. "And just what have you been thinking about so long and hard that it's made your entire week drag on seemingly forever, hmm? Anything I can help with?"

Harry brightened. "Yeah, actually, that's exactly what I'd like to talk about tonight." Draco perched his chin on his palm, elbow on the bar, as their drinks arrived. He ignored them, eyes focused unblinkingly on Harry.

"Fire away, then."

Harry glanced around furtively, as if checking for eavesdroppers, and then leaned close to his blonde friend. "Were you already gay when you married Astoria?" Draco blinked, surprised by the seemingly random question.

"No, I was quite straight before I got married. Astoria is the one who drove me completely gay," Draco deadpanned, making Harry laugh. "To be serious, I had a healthy interest in either sex. I suppose I still do, but I have no mental interest in women at the moment, if you understand. Physically, I am still attracted to them. But I don't intend to be with one anytime soon." Harry nodded. Astoria had seemed like a right bint. It was little wonder Draco had a low tolerance for women after having someone like that for a wife.

"Okay. So… how did you know? You know, that you liked… blokes?" Draco leaned back slightly to study him for a moment, looking slightly amused.

"…Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems as though you suddenly have quite a few personal questions for me regarding my sexuality. Anything you'd like to discuss that's happened on your end?" The knowing smirk had Harry flushing crimson. Draco looked smug as he took a drink from the bottle in front of him. "Out with it, Potter. You tell me what I want and I'll answer all your little questions. What's sparked this sudden interest?"

Harry looked away, suddenly finding the floor to be infinitely more interesting than the man sitting next to him. He mumbled something under his breath and blushed an even deeper shade of red, all the way to the tips of his ears. "What was that, Harry? I couldn't understand you. Speak up just a little bit." Draco leaned closer, inwardly desperate to hear his response. Could it be? Could Harry possibly be considering…?

"It's not all that sudden," mumbled Harry. "I've been sort of thinking about it for a while. Ginny and I haven't… you know… in, well, ages. And I – Merlin, you can't tell anyone about this – but I don't even really miss it. The… you know."

Draco took a twisted pleasure in saying, "The sex," just to make Harry cringe. "Don't look so guilty, Harry. I told you I only bedded Astoria enough to get her pregnant with Scorpius and then we didn't even share the same wing of the Manor, let alone a bed. But what makes you think you'll suddenly want it with a bloke just because you stopped wanting it with the She-Weasel? Frankly, I don't see how you'd have wanted it in the first place, but that's just me."

He smirked, incorrigible, as Harry frowned at his insult. But he knew it would be impossible to stop Draco from making fun of Ginny. He should be grateful that the blonde tended to refrain from saying such things to her face. "That's why I wanted to talk to you. How did you figure out that you liked blokes?"

Draco shrugged, swirling his drink gently, watching the liquid inside splash lightly at the sides of the bottle. "I believe it was in our later years at school that I first started looking at other blokes. One day Blaise and I – you remember him, don't you? – were in the Common Room together and… Well, I suppose we were both feeling a little curious, and we decided to just try it and see. What would the harm be? No one else ever had to know, and neither of us would rat the other out or we'd be equally humiliated. Experimenting was… encouraged in Slytherin, I suppose you could say. And the rest, as they say, is history."

Harry took a few moments to process this as both men drank from their respective bottles. "So what you're saying is that you were curious, and you found someone to try it with that you could trust to see if you liked it or not?"

When Draco nodded, Harry looked down at his bottle for a long, tense moment, and then looked back at him. "Can I… trust you?"

Draco stared at him, unable to believe for a moment that he had just heard that correctly. He was fairly sure that his jaw might actually have dropped, which would mean he was gaping quite stupidly at the brunette sitting at his side. Before he could shake his stupor enough to respond, Harry had turned a bright red all over again and quickly turned away from him, muttering, "Nevermind, forget I ever said anything."

Draco watched him for a moment, then leaned closer to him and murmured, "Harry…" The low, knowing purr sent a chill down Harry's spine. "You can trust me." Harry glanced sideways at him, still turned away as much as possible, completely embarrassed at the sudden turn the conversation had taken. The fact that he had instigated it did nothing to lessen the shock of it. He certainly hadn't planned on such a bold suggestion when they had arrived at the bar earlier that evening. And yet, here they were. He wasn't sure yet if it was a good thing or not.

"What about Gilbert?" asked Harry worriedly.

Draco inwardly cursed, but outwardly he merely smiled slightly. "He won't mind a bit, I promise you. It's all in the name of curiosity, after all. It doesn't have to mean anything more than that." Harry couldn't help but be reminded of his conversation with the younger man when he had last been at Draco's home. _If Draco wanted you, he would have you… Draco does as he pleases._ So was it true, then, that Gilbert wouldn't mind?

Harry tuned back in just in time to hear Draco add, "Gilbert is out of town at the moment, anyway. He just left yesterday to visit with family for the weekend. So you have no reason to feel awkward should you wish to come and visit over the next few days."

Harry nodded, his mind still working to keep up with everything that had happened in the past thirty minutes or so. He had just admitted to being curious about kissing blokes, and Draco had offered himself up to test out his curiosity. Was he really going to do this? More importantly, could he really trust Draco?

Despite everything else, Harry believed that he could, in fact, trust Draco in this. He had yet to give him any reason not to, after all. But… he still needed time to think this through fully before he did anything rash. Just in case.

"Maybe I could come by sometime this weekend, then. I'd need to talk to Ginny first to make sure we don't have anything else already planned, you understand." Draco nodded, looking pleased. Inwardly he felt a tangled flurry of frustration as well as happiness. He had waited so long for this moment, the idea of waiting even a single day more pained him almost unbearably. But he would control himself. It would be for the best, in the end.

There was no way to salvage the evening after the awkward conversation that had just been had, and so it didn't take too long for both men to finish their drinks and rise to make their way to the exit. Draco reached the door first and held it open for Harry to pass through, smirking at him as he let the portal swing shut behind them afterward. Harry shifted his weight uncomfortably from one foot to the other, his cheeks still tinged with a pink flush that seemed as though it would never go away after all he had gone through that night.

"Well, good night, then, Draco. See you soon, maybe." Draco nodded, taking a step closer to him, startling the brunette.

"Yes, and a good night to you," he said smoothly, capturing Harry's hand with one of his. Deftly, he brought it to his lips and lightly kissed the back of it, flashing a devilish, flirty look up at him from under his lashes before he released it and took a step away from the slightly shorter man. "And I look forward to our next encounter." With a wink, he quickly took advantage of poor Harry's shock and Apparated away.

Harry felt his cheeks turn red and shoved both hands quickly into his pockets as the blonde vanished. With a soft, shuddering breath, he quickly Apparated himself home.

Merlin, what was he getting himself into?

_(Holy crap, this took forever, lovely readers. When my muse was with me, it was easy to write, but it escaped again so quickly that I could only write in brief spurts that took me the better part of three weeks to pull together. I'm not quite sure how I feel about this chapter. Why don't you give me your opinions after this long absence, my lovely readers? I promise to try and be more regular after this. Hopefully my muse can only improve, yes? Please, PLEASE review my dear readers. I need the support now more than ever before.)_


	12. Chapter 12

_(I'm so glad everyone enjoyed the last chapter, and I'm glad that everybody still seems to be in character and keeping everyone's attention. I've missed hearing from my lovely readers. It always made me smile, even in boring classes and tense situations, to see reviews for my story from you guys. Thank God for summer, right? No telling how much free time I'll get, but I hope to get some significant writing done now that college isn't taking up so much of my daily life.  
I was so excited to finish the last chapter, I didn't take the time to read over and think about my ending author's note as closely as I usually do, and I forgot to mention that, in honor of my former high school's Spring musical, I dropped two different quotes from the musical they performed. Kudos to anyone that goes back and rereads and figures out the musical and the quotes. :) Anyway, enough rambling. On with the chapter. Be sure to review, my lovely readers. You know how much your comments and suggestions mean to me.)_

Albus was furious. It was a feeling he was rather unfamiliar with, but after the past week or so, he had become very well acquainted with the sensation, more specifically, toward James. Scorpius was furious, too. Albus didn't know because of anything the Slytherin said; quite the opposite, actually. He hadn't said anything at all. The blonde had retreated back to the Slytherin table at meals and spent no time lingering between classes before he was shut away in the Slytherin dungeons, completely cutting ties with all students from other Houses.

It was all James' fault. If he hadn't made such a big deal out of a silly Quidditch game, none of this would have happened. After trying to apologize for him to Scorpius in all their classes the past week, Albus had decided that Scorpius wasn't going to accept his apology, since he had done nothing wrong. No, the boy was going to wait for an apology from James himself. And if there was anything the prideful brunette didn't do very well, it was sincerely apologize.

"I don't see why I should apologize to him. He didn't have to take it so personally," snapped James, sprawled in a plush chair across from the fireplace. Albus sat on the arm of one of the couches, arms crossed. After another strained dinner watching Scorpius sitting across the room at the Slytherin table, Albus had finally decided that enough was enough.

"James, you insulted his dad! You know how Scorpius gets about his dad. He's really sensitive about it and you owe him an apology!"

James rolled his eyes and adjusted himself in the chair so that his torso was nearly resting on the seat itself, legs carelessly stretched out in front of him. "I still don't see why I should. He's just being too sensitive. People say stuff about our dad and it's not like we go and sulk for a bloody week about it, do we?"

Albus' frown deepened. "Our _friends_ don't say stuff about our dad. " James muttered under his breath and glanced across the room, attempting to ignore his little brother's scolding. "Seriously, James, he won't listen to me trying to apologize for you. He wants to hear it from you, or it won't count and he'll keep being upset."

James scowled and continued to stare off to one side, stubbornly blocking Albus out. Frustrated, the younger brunette threw his hands into the air. "Fine! Be that way, you stubborn prat! I'm writing to Dad and he'll make sure you apologize to Scorpius."

James' head whipped around. "You wouldn't."

Albus met his stare readily, lifting his chin. He didn't bother to say anything. James knew him well enough to know he wouldn't make such a threat idly. James broke the staring match and scowled, propelling himself up and out of his chair. "Fine, fine, I'll go and apologize. Bloody hell, Albus, you little snitch."

Albus just shrugged. Whatever it took to get his best friend back.

At breakfast the next morning, James was given an unceremonious shove from Albus as soon as Scorpius entered the Great Hall. Frowning, James reluctantly crossed the room and stood in front of the Slytherin table, hands shoved into the pockets of his robes. "Look, Scorpius," he began quickly, feeling just a bit nervous before the sea of silver and green that had all now turned to stare at him. He felt his face begin to flush.

Scorpius watched him expectantly from among the crowd, saying nothing to encourage or comfort him. His eyes were cool and dark, studying him seriously like a bug under a magnifying glass. "I just… wantedtosayI'msorry," the brunette blurted out in a rush. Scorpius lifted a brow at him. "I'm sorry, Scorpius. I was sore about losing and I was a prat." There was snickering from some of the older Slytherins.

Scorpius continued to stare at him, waiting for more. He had been waiting for this for a week, and he was going to make sure he got what he deserved from James. "Scor?" James was beginning to look less annoyed and just a bit more desperate. "Look, Scorpius, I said I was sorry. What else do you want from me? I'm sorry about calling you a cheater, and for calling your dad a plonker, and I'm sorry for getting mad at you for something that wasn't your fault. Okay? Are we good now? Will you come back and eat with us again?"

Just when it seemed like James would buckle under the heavy stares of the other House, Scorpius got to his feet. "Apology accepted," he said simply. "But I'm still mad at you."

_(Time Skip)_

It was Saturday. After arriving home the night before, Harry had found Ginny to be awake and sitting in the kitchen, in a rather pleasant mood. He had inquired about their plans for the weekend, nonchalantly, and had been surprised to hear that Ginny had no particular plans for the two of them. She wanted to go spend the day with her mother, actually, and she was taking Lily with them, and so Harry found himself to be once again off the hook.

Their plans for separating had done wonders for their domestic situation. There was no more fighting, no more arguing over whose schedule was more important and who needed them to be where and when. It was rather pleasant, actually.

This brought him to the present moment, Saturday. Alone at home. Rather than getting ahead on some things for work, Harry found himself sitting in his bedroom, staring down at his Pensieve. He had reviewed the memory from last night several times already, and it still brought a blush to his cheeks to even think about it. To think about Draco.

He still couldn't believe what had happened last night. Not only had he admitted that he was curious about what it would be like to kiss another bloke – and maybe even more than that – but Draco had agreed to satisfy his curiosity. The memory of the swift, flirtatious kiss pressed to his hand had his pulse quickening.

According to Draco, Gilbert was away for the weekend. So the blonde was also home alone. Right now. And he had invited Harry over to visit.

The real question, he supposed, was whether or not he really wanted what was very likely to happen if he dared to go over to visit the former Slytherin. It was one thing to be curious about it, and quite another to knowingly go and experience it for himself, especially at the hands of his ex-nemesis-turned-friend.

In the past, whether he was faced with mass murderers, hippogriffs, dark magic, or what have you, Harry had always been able to trust his gut. And right now, his gut seemed to be telling him that this… whatever it was, with Draco Malfoy was the right thing to do. No matter how odd it seemed to his overworked brain.

Once again, Harry found himself kneeling in front of his fireplace, worrying his bottom lip with his teeth. He had sworn to himself not to Fire-call Draco without warning again, but since Gilbert was out of town, there wouldn't be the same problem as last time. Reassured, he tossed the powder into the fire and stuck his head into the flames, calling, "Draco Malfoy!"

Draco was sitting in a chair this time, quietly contemplating a glass of dark red wine. His hair was disheveled, as if he hadn't been awake for very long, and his royal blue shirt was only partially buttoned, revealing a fair portion of his bare chest. His long legs were crossed at the ankle in front of him, clad in black pants that came down to his ankles and ended in his bare feet. He was very clearly taking the day to relax, to forego the primping that generally came with facing polite company. Harry had to clear his throat before he could speak.

"H-hey, Draco, can I come through?"

The blonde started, torn from his thoughts, whatever they might have been, by the sudden voice in a seemingly empty house. His gaze instantly shot to the fireplace, and he relaxed slightly when he recognized who it was that dared to disturb him in his own home. He leaned back more comfortably in his chair and nodded, saying, "Yes, go ahead."

Harry pulled back and got to his feet, stepping into the still-green flames to be transported to Draco's home with a quick shout of his address. He brushed himself off as he stepped through, smiling weakly at the other man. "Ginny's off having a girl's day. I thought… I thought I'd take you up on your invitation to come by for a visit."

Draco nodded, and gestured to the couch across from him. On the table in between a second wineglass had been conjured, filled with the same dark liquor as was in Draco's glass. Next to it sat the hourglass from Christmas, quietly reflecting the dancing flames of the fireplace almost innocently, as if waiting to lure some unsuspecting liar into a trap. Harry took the drink and sank down into the soft cushions.

"So," Draco began, "Have you given my offer any further consideration?" Harry nodded quickly and then blushed, looking down nervously at his drink. Draco barely concealed a small smirk behind the rim of his glass. "And did you come to any sort of decision?"

Harry hesitated, finding it difficult to say the words now that he was here. His blush deepened, which seemed to be answer enough for Draco. His smirk widened. "Nervous, Harry?" he asked teasingly, leaning forward slightly in his seat.

"No!" Harry quickly protested, his face flooded with color, and then watched in humiliated agony as a handful of sand swirled upward into the upper portion of the hourglass. Draco laughed softly, only furthering his embarrassment.

"Relax, Harry. You're making far too big a deal out of all this." Draco got up and made his way around the table to sit on the far end of the couch from Harry. He took a sip from his glass and smiled knowingly.

"Merlin," muttered Harry, "That's easy for you to say." Draco wondered briefly if Harry noticed the sand in the upper chamber increase just a little more at the unknowingly false statement. Or perhaps it hadn't, and it was merely his guilty conscience that had him seeing more sand than what was there from Harry's white lie. Either way, it was certainly _not_ easy for him to say. His reoccurring fantasy since the end of his childhood was finally becoming a reality. He was pleasantly surprised that he wasn't shaking all over with nerves as he contemplated what was about to take place.

But then, Draco had always been good at compartmentalizing his emotions. And so he bottled his anticipation and love away, hiding it deeply within himself, and leaned a little closer to the brunette at his side. "Is there anything I can do to help you to relax?" he purred, allowing his shirt to gap more widely at the top, watching with satisfaction as the ploy succeeded and Harry's eyes was drawn to the exposed skin.

Harry licked his lips and looked back up at him, meeting the slightly taller one's gaze. "I… trust you," he said finally, his green eyes dark with anxiety and anticipation. Draco set his glass aside on the table, and then did the same for Harry's.

Leaning forward once more, Draco shifted into a kneeling position and slowly crawled up to carefully straddle Harry's lap, giving him plenty of time to move away if he so desired. But the brunette stayed where he was, watching his every move.

Cupping his face with both hands, Draco lowered his head and pressed a soft, chaste kiss to Harry's lips. He pulled back slightly, and then repeated the gesture once, twice, thrice. On the last one Draco felt sure that he could feel Harry's lips move under his, returning the kiss. Encouraged, he kissed him again, lingering this time.

The next time, Harry felt the brief flicker of a tongue against his lips, cautiously seeking entry. When it returned, he found himself opening to it, tightening his grip on the back of the couch until his knuckles turned white. Merlin… Who could have known that Draco Malfoy was such a fabulous kisser? It was… Mmmm.

Harry leaned back slightly, allowing his back to rest against the arm of the couch. His head tipped back a little, and Draco's mouth followed. The blonde reluctantly pulled back after another minute, panting slightly, and felt arousal stir in his belly as he stared down at his coworker. Salazar, he was truly beautiful. Especially his eyes.

"Draco…" Harry made a soft sound as the other man began to press soft kisses to his throat, tugging aside the collar of his shirt to expose more of his skin. A low hum of contentment rumbled in Harry's throat under his lips, and Harry could feel that mouth curving into a slight smirk at the feeling, knowing exactly what it meant. His fading flush was suddenly returning in full force as the blonde sat up and looked down at him from his position in his lap.

"Draco, are you… That is, are we…? Should I…" Harry fumbled over his words embarrassedly, but it didn't take much to figure out what he was trying to say. Draco smirked and leaned forward once more, their faces mere inches away from each other.

"Do you want to?"

Harry squirmed nervously, his eyes flickering around the room, looking anywhere but at the man on his lap. "Not… yet…" He fidgeted with a lock of his dark hair, looking incredibly sheepish. "I just… Ginny and I aren't officially separated or anything yet, and I still feel like it would kind of be betraying her to do anything with anyone else. You know?"

Draco was surprised by how earnest he looked, eyes wide and seeking understanding. It was impossible to shatter that innocent little dream he had going. Marriages crumbled. Cheating happened. It was simply part of life. _But not, apparently, a part of Potter's life._ Draco rolled his eyes and said, "Yes, yes, I understand. Bloody Gryffindor."

Harry smiled. "You always say that like it's an insult."

Draco rolled his eyes. "And so it should be." He pressed a hand firmly against Harry's chest just as the brunette opened his mouth to retort, gently pushing him back down to lean against the arm of the couch with a wicked glint heating his eyes. "Enough talk, Potter. That's another flaw to you Gryffindors, far too chatty." Whatever response bubbled at Harry's lips was quickly swallowed into the other's mouth.

_(Time skip)_

Scorpius was true to his word. He accepted the apology, and he returned to spending time with Albus as if nothing had ever happened. But he continued to treat James with contempt, no longer welcoming him when he tried to spend time with them between classes or at meals. James was behaving as though he didn't care, but Albus knew it was bothering him.

"Have you tried actually _talking_ to him?" asked Albus with a small frown. James shot him an irritated glare.

"Bloody hell, of course I've tried talking to him. But he won't listen. He said he accepted my apology! Why is he still acting like this to me?" James complained.

Albus considered it for a moment, thinking the situation over carefully. "Well, maybe he accepted your apology because he feels like you are sorry for what you did, but maybe he doesn't think you've learned your lesson yet. Like he thinks you might do it again if you had the chance, so he's not going to give you the chance."

James' brows furrowed as he thought about it for a moment, then nodded. "That makes sense, actually. I –"

"Albus."

Both brunettes looked up to see Scorpius standing there, arms crossed. They both grinned innocently. The blonde rolled his eyes at the parallel behavior of the two. It was really very easy to see the relation between them, even if they didn't both take after their father. The fact that they did only made them more similar.

"Hey, Scor!" Albus slung an arm around his shoulders, beaming charmingly until the stern look on Scorpius' lips twitched and became a small smile instead.

"Ready for Potions, then?" Scorpius didn't greet James; he barely acknowledged him. Albus' frown returned.

"Aren't you going to say hello to James?"

Scorpius flicked a withering glance at the older boy. "James," he acknowledged reluctantly, the word coming off his tongue as if it left a bitter taste in his mouth to utter it.

"Scorpius, what do I have to do for you to forgive me? You said you accepted my apology," said James, frustrated.

"I did," said Scorpius with a small nod, but didn't bother to elaborate. He seemed determined to speak to James as little as possible.

Albus made a face. "Scorpius, you have to forgive him some time. He's really, really sorry. Can't you two be friends again?"

Scorpius' expression didn't change. "I don't see why James would want to be friends with the son of a cheating plonker."

James made a face. "I _said_ I was sorry! And you accepted my apology!"

Scorpius scowled. "I accept that you said very unnecessary and mean things about me and my father and my House, and that now you feel sorry about it. I do not accept that you have somehow learned your lesson."

James threw up his hands. "Fine! Brilliant!" Irritated and fed up with the conversation, which felt very much like trying to converse with a brick wall, James turned on his heel and left the two first years alone.

Albus glanced at Scorpius, and the blonde shrugged dismissively.

"So, Potions?"

Albus sighed, but he knew it would be futile to try and convince Scorpius of anything, especially so soon after confronting James, so he merely nodded and followed his friend down into the dungeons for their class, only growing more and more concerned over the feuding between his older brother and his very best friend.

Maybe it would be best to write to his father after all. If anyone could tell him what to do about this problem, it would be him.

_(Time skip)_

Somehow the whole day had managed to slip away from him, and the sun was now beginning to set. It had been a very nice, relaxing day though, Harry had to admit. All they had done was eat lunch together and talk and kiss every now and then in between.

Harry was surprised by how reluctant he was to leave their comfortable nest on the couch in front of the fireplace. They had been there for probably an hour now, and Draco had managed to finagle his way back into Harry's lap within the first ten minutes while they conversed. Harry didn't mind the comfortable weight, or the occasional kiss pressed to his throat whenever Draco wasn't the one doing the talking.

Now, though, he was thinking of Ginny, and guilt was beginning to settle in on his shoulders. Gilbert flashed through his mind, too, and a burning sensation that he still preferred not to diagnose had started up in his chest as well.

"Draco," he said, giving the blonde a gentle shove to try and get up from the couch. "Draco, I need to go home."

There was an almost-inaudible grumble from the other man, and he shifted lazily into a more comfortable position, glancing up at Harry. Despite the faint annoyance in the gaze, there was enough residual lust lingering in the molten silver to send a faint shiver down the brunette's spine. "Why, exactly?"

Harry frowned. "Ginny will be home soon. I need to get home. We're still not officially divorced, Draco, and I –" Draco cut him off with a swift swipe of his hand through the air, sitting up slightly to see him better.

"Yes, yes, I know. You don't want to do anything _too_ unfaithful until the divorce is final. And that won't be until sometime after the Easter break, which is when you intend to talk to your children about it, correct?" Harry nodded, and Draco rolled his eyes. "Still such a Gryffindor. Well, off with you, then." He sat up, and Harry's frown deepened as the blonde scooted away from him to the opposite side of the couch.

"What's wrong with you?"

Draco scoffed. "With me? Please, Harry, don't insult me. I agreed to help you experiment, but I did not agree to become your dirty little secret. If you want to keep quiet about it, fine, but don't expect me to be jumping for joy when you run back to the She-Weasel from me." Harry's expression changed to one of guilt, and Draco glanced away quickly.

"Merlin, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like –" Harry sounded as if he would be babbling any moment, so Draco cut him off.

"I know you didn't. It's all right. You're right; you do need to go home. Lily will be wanting to see you." Harry relaxed slightly, nodding.

"Yeah, you're right. And thanks, Draco." The blonde didn't bother asking what for; he just nodded and continued to avoid looking at him. Every fiber of his being was screaming for him to stop the other man before he could leave. But he knew Harry wouldn't stay. Worse, it might drive him away, now of all times when they were just beginning to lessen the impossibility of Harry ever becoming his. He needed to be more careful now than ever.

Suddenly, Draco found himself pulled into a tight hug, making his eyes go wide. Awkwardly, he patted Harry's back, resisting the urge to bury his face in the dark hair and just hang on. "Yes, well. Off with you, now. Lily will be waiting, as will the She-Weasel. Give her my regards, will you?" he requested with a smirk.

Harry pulled back with a laugh. "Do you want her to hate you even more than she does now?" Draco pretended to consider the question seriously.

"Yes."

Harry chuckled again and got up off the couch. "I'll see you at work, all right?"

"Yes, Harry, see you at work." Draco watched quietly as Harry threw the Floo powder into the fireplace, called out his address, and disappeared into the green flames. "Hurry up and get that divorce, you oblivious Gryffindor," he muttered.

Harry arrived back home and stepped from the fireplace, noting that Ginny's coat was draped neatly across one arm of the couch. So the girls had beaten him home. Just as he opened his mouth to call to them, an odd sound from the hallway drew his attention.

Quietly, Harry snuck across the room and into the hallway, waiting patiently for the sound to repeat itself. After a moment, it did. It was coming from the master bedroom. Frowning now, Harry tip-toed closer.

A low moan made him freeze in his tracks, mere steps from the door, hand outstretched to turn the knob. "H-he could be home any minute. You need to g-oooh, stop, stop, I'm serious!" It was Ginny's voice, soft and breathless, but even more damning was the low, male chuckle that followed her demands.

"You don't really mean that, Gin. You love it when I do this…" Another moan had his hair standing on end, his temper beginning to bubble.

"A-aah, Dean, Dean, you have to go before – oh, _Merlin_ – h-he gets home. Harry will kill you if he finds out about you."

He had heard enough. Shaking with disbelief and fury, Harry forced himself to back away from the door before Ginny's prophecy came true. He had to get away. He had to go somewhere before he did something unforgivable.

Without thinking, he ran back to the fireplace, grabbed a handful of Floo powder, and disappeared into the flames the instant they turned green.

_(Yay for the return of my muse! :D I hope to continue to update rather frequently. By my calculations, there aren't too many more chapters. This story should be finished by the end of the summer, my lovely readers, and after that we'll have to see what happens, won't we? I hope everyone enjoys this twist, and for those of you that predicted it, well done! Please tell me how you feel about this chapter. Any comments, suggestions, requests, or whatnot are welcomed and appreciated, my lovely readers. Just so long as you leave a review. It really helps the writing process.  
Ah, I almost forgot. I'm having my computer fixed some time, possibly this week. I don't know how long it will take, but it might lead to some delay in the next chapter. Just a warning, lovely readers.)_


	13. Chapter 13

_(What's up, my lovely readers? My muse is thriving with the plot moving so quickly now. I was slightly disappointed by the decrease in reviews for the last chapter, but then I remembered that it's summer and some people have better things to do than read fanfiction in their free time. For this poor college student, though, sitting at home and writing is all I can really afford. XD But I shall persevere! I hope you enjoy this next chapter. It's chock-full of Drarry goodness. This is your warning. ;) Please, please, PLEASE review, my lovely readers. As I sit here writing this, it is actually the morning of my birthday. Think of your reviews for this chapter as belated birthday presents. Thank you. :) )_

Harry stumbled into the living room he had so recently left from and nearly gave Draco a heart attack. He got to his feet, frowning in concern as he watched the brunette struggle momentarily to regain his balance. "Merlin, Potter, what are you do –" Harry tackled him back onto the couch where Draco had been sitting before he could finish, knocking the air out of the taller man. Draco gave him a light shove, but the brunette clung to him like a hungry leech. Draco sighed indulgently. "What's all this, then, Harry?"

It took a few shuddering moments for Harry to regain control and sit up slightly, looking up at the taller man. "Ginny," said Harry brokenly, torn between fury and utter despair. "She's… with Dean. I heard them."

Draco's eyes flashed. "Did you confront the selfish bint? Did you kick his bloody arse? Salazar, Harry!" The blonde was clearly working up a good rant, enraged on his friend's behalf over the whole situation, but Harry didn't bother to give him the opportunity to let it out. Instead, he lurched up and forward slightly from his position on Draco's lap and pressed their lips together clumsily. Draco was shocked into silence.

When he pulled back again, Harry whispered, "Draco…. Please…." _Make me forget..._

Draco stared at him for a moment, torn, and then leaned closer and kissed him again. Harry closed his eyes and sank into the kiss immediately. By the time the kiss broke, Harry found himself somehow guided onto his back on the couch with Draco looming over him, one knee on either side of his body and his hands braced on both sides of his head.

"Harry," he murmured, trailing kisses down his throat. The brunette tilted his head back, making a soft sound. Draco whispered his name over and over in a seductive mantra as he gently kissed around his throat and up to his ear. A swift nibble on the lobe drew an unexpected gasp from the shorter man, quickly followed by a faint blush.

Draco smirked. "Sensitive," he teased, and soon made his way across to the other ear to repeat the action with similar, equally pleasing results. Harry shut his eyes, losing himself in the sensations aroused by the other man. His fury and shame and pain of betrayal were slipping away like leaves in a strong breeze, replaced by the mounting pleasure that had been missing from his marriage to Ginny for quite some time.

Suddenly, he felt Draco get up from the couch, and his eyes shot open, unconsciously lunging forward to grab at his sleeve. "Where are you going?" he asked weakly. His grip on the blonde's shirt was shifted so that they were clasping hands instead. Draco pulled Harry into a sitting position and tugged him up onto his feet.

"To bed," explained Draco, lifting a brow as if the question was a stupid one. Harry immediately turned a deep shade of red.

"Oh." He followed Draco down the hall to the bedroom, his mind quickly speeding up to work double time. Were they really about to…? Did he really want to…? The door was opened, and they both stepped through and let it shut behind them.

Harry found himself nudged backward until he was sitting on the edge of the bed, looking up at Draco. "Kick off your shoes and socks, and scoot back into the middle of the bed," murmured Draco, his eyes dark and glazed with lust. A shiver ran down Harry's spine at the heated look as he quickly did as he was told. "Lie down." Again, he obeyed quickly, feeling his heart speed up in his chest as he waited for whatever Draco had planned for him next. "Close your eyes."

He felt the bed shift on his left as weight was added to one edge. His heart began to race, and he nearly jumped out of his skin when he felt gentle fingers tracing lightly over his bare feet up to his ankles until his trousers blocked them from going any further.

A faint annoyed sound reached his ears, and the weight on the bed shifted again so that it was now on his right side, closer to his head. "Draco, what –"

A finger pressed lightly to his lips, silencing him. "Shhh." Gentle fingers slid through his hair and down the sides of his face and neck, slipping down to his collarbone and then the neck of his shirt. Nimble fingers tugged and shifted him until it came over Harry's head and was tossed to the side. Harry kept his eyes shut, even though he was sorely tempted to open them so that he could see exactly what Draco was doing.

Once more the fingers resumed exploring him, sliding along his collarbone and down his chest. A single calloused fingertip brushed over his nipple, making Harry shiver. He jerked, startled, when a pair of lips followed in the wake of his fingers, coaxing a low moan from the brunette.

Soft hair brushed against the side of his face as Draco's lips left his chest and he whispered softly, "What are you thinking of, Harry?"

Unable to resist anymore, Harry opened his green eyes and found himself staring up into glimmering silver. "What?" he asked blankly, his mind wiped clean of everything but the sensations being stirred by the seductive blonde. Draco smirked, clearly pleased with his answer.

"What," he repeated, "are you thinking of right now?"

Harry blinked at him for a moment, confused by the sudden question. "Well… you," he finally admitted quietly.

"Good," purred the former Slytherin, "Because if you're going to be with me, you're going to be thinking only of me. No one else."

Suddenly, Harry realized what Draco was asking and, more importantly, why he was asking. "I'm here because I want to be, Draco. Even if Ginny hadn't… done what she did, I would be here with you. She just… sped up the process a little, that's all." Harry took a deep, shaky breath. "I do want this with you. I do."

Draco stared down at him quietly for a moment. "Are you trying to convince me of that, Harry, or yourself?"

A wave of annoyance coursed through him then. Did Draco really think he didn't know his own mind? Did he doubt that he wanted this?

Frustrated, he sat up suddenly, startling Draco, and managed to roll them across the large bed so that Harry was now on top. He leaned in close to the blonde's face, smirking now. "Does that answer your question, Malfoy?"

The blonde's wide, surprised eyes quickly narrowed. "It does, yes." Draco hoped that Harry wouldn't be able to tell how quickly his heart was beating. It was erotic enough to finally have the opportunity to seduce Harry Potter, a wizard he had fancied for ages now, without said wizard then turning the tables on him like this.

From his new seat of control, Harry contemplated the man beneath him. Testingly, he spread his palms over Draco's chest, enjoying the dark flashes in the silver eyes following his every move whenever he brushed against a nipple through the soft fabric of his shirt. He repeated the move, this time sliding them under the partially-unbuttoned fabric, pleased by the way Draco's breath caught slightly at his touch.

Harry finished unbuttoning the shirt and pulled it out from underneath him gently, tossing it to the floor. Following Draco's previous example, Harry ran his hands down his chest to his stomach, then leaned in close to let his mouth do the same. Draco shivered and groaned quietly. Harry took a great deal of satisfaction from seeing the normally controlled blonde at his mercy like this, coming undone because of what he, Harry, was doing to him.

Harry grew bold, encouraged by Draco's reaction to his touch, and slid his hands down to the waistband of the soft black trousers he wore. There was a noticeable bulge in them by now. Those silver eyes remained locked on his face, daring him to go further. Harry tugged the waistband down somewhat, and then looked up at Draco with a mixture of surprise and arousal.

"You aren't wearing any pants." His calloused fingers rubbed lightly over the exposed skin. Draco smirked at him knowingly.

"I find it to be more comfortable and convenient to go without them from time to time," he purred, leaning up, his elbows braced on the bed beneath him, to get nose to nose with the Boy Who Lived. Harry swallowed.

"No complaints here," he said, and pulled hesitantly on the trousers again, nervous once more. Draco lifted his hips a little, encouragingly. Harry stripped the blonde of the last of his clothing and threw it to the floor, eyes averted.

"Harry." The brunette said nothing. "Harry. Look at me." Slowly, those remarkable green eyes slid over and locked onto him, skimming him from head to foot. Then they darkened to a shade Draco had never seen before, sending a shiver through him. "Do you like what you see?" teased the blonde.

Harry had been worried that, despite how much he had been enjoying the kissing and touching, that when it came right down to it he would be turned off by it all. But staring down at Draco Malfoy, his pale skin flushed, his silver eyes dark and molten with excitement, his cock standing at attention because of _him_, because of Harry, was more arousing than he could have ever imagined. "Godric, yes," whispered Harry.

Draco pulled Harry down for another kiss, encouraged, and worked at the front of Harry's trousers until he was able to help the brunette kick out of them as well, leaving them both now fully undressed. In the slight struggle to wiggle out of his clothes, Harry found himself flat on his back once more, looking up at a triumphant – and turned on – Draco.

Harry gasped and moaned loudly as Draco's hand suddenly slid up his thigh and slipped between his legs, stroking him with just the tips of his fingers teasingly. His grip shifted and he fisted the growing erection, stroking it as he dropped his head and stole yet another kiss from lips he had been dreaming about for years. It almost seemed too good to be true.

Draco was startled when he suddenly felt another hand upon his own cock, then he shut his eyes and hissed in pleasure and forgot to be surprised as it began to stroke him. "Couldn't let you have all the fun," Harry moaned, quickly adapting to the idea of stroking someone else. It wasn't too different from stroking himself, after all. Especially since Draco had his hand on him. He could almost imagine that he was doing it himself, if he hadn't known any better.

"Feel free to jump right in," grunted Draco, his strokes quickening as his breath grew short, his body soon glistening with sweat from the exertion. Harry was soon equally slick, head kicked back into the pillows.

Draco came first with a hoarse shout and a shudder that threatened to send him into a boneless heap on top of Harry. He kept himself upright, continuing to stroke Harry until he too gave a shout and shuddered as his body reached its climax. Draco climbed off of Harry and slid under the sheet with a yawn, already mentally working to build back up the walls between them before the inexcusable happened.

Before he had the chance to push him away, however, Harry had rolled over and latched onto him, burying his face in the blonde's chest. Draco faltered. "Harry…" he began, ignoring the slight tremor that he refused to believe was actually there. But there was no response. The other man, both physically and emotionally exhausted, had already tumbled into a deep sleep and only shoving him clear out of the bed would succeed in waking him.

With a sigh, Draco leaned back against the pillows and looked down at the brunette with a small frown. He glanced to either side, as if expecting someone to be watching them, and then quickly lowered his head and kissed the crown of Harry's head. "I love you, you oblivious git," he whispered.

_(Time skip)_

_Dear Dad,_

_James and Scorpius are fighting. James said some really, really awful stuff about Scor and his dad after Gryffindor lost a Quidditch match against Slytherin. It was their first loss of the season and he took it way too personally. Scor said he accepted his apology, but he still doesn't really want to forgive him. So now Scorpius and James never talk, and whenever they're around reach other they always fight and end up storming away from each other. It's really frustrating. What should I do? I thought you might know how to fix it._

_Love, Albus_

Albus read the letter four times before he sealed it and sent it off, frowning to himself as he watched his owl disappear into the distance. The situation between Scorpius and James wasn't improving at all. Scorpius still hung out with Albus, and things were normal between them as long as they didn't talk too much about James, but at meals and between classes, sometimes Scorpius and James ran into each other and it got ugly fast.

James yelled at Scorpius a lot, and Scorpius snapped right back at him. Their fights were usually pointless and would have never been an issue before the Quidditch incident. Ever since James had lost Scorpius' trust – and apparently his friendship – the littlest of things seemed to set the two off and nothing Albus ever said or did made them act any differently.

Albus had tried to address the problem separately to the two, and they both promised to try and do better about the fighting for his sake, but neither of them were doing a very good job with that. Every time they ran into each other sparks continued to fly. If anything, it was only getting worse, rather than better.

"I can't wait for the Easter holidays," said Albus, resting his chin on his palm as he watched Scorpius practice several spells on the feather sitting between them on the table. "It'll be nice to get home for a little while again."

Scorpius hummed quietly in agreement and muttered the spell again, frowning as it failed to work for a third time.

Rather than be discouraged, Albus just smiled and continued to ramble. It wasn't unlike Scorpius to be consumed by his studies, but he knew the blonde would still somehow recall everything he had said were he to ask him to repeat it back to him. Just because he didn't respond didn't mean he hadn't heard him. "You could maybe come to visit us this time. Since we went to your place last time." Scorpius shot him a quick glance.

"James," he said shortly, and left it at that. Albus sighed.

"Are you going to let him ruin our holiday AND our summer?" he demanded. "Your dad is going to get annoyed if I keep coming around and you never get to come visit me instead, right? Watching over someone else's kid all summer in his free time probably won't be very fun for him. Especially since he's only used to one kid, right? I mean –"

Scorpius laughed softly, concentration broken, and looked over at Albus, an exasperated, and yet amused, smile on his lips. "My father will have no problem with you coming to visit as much as you want this summer. We're old enough to amuse ourselves. It will hardly be too much of an inconvenience for him. The same goes for the Easter holiday. You worry too much, Albus. Everything will be fine." Albus smiled, reassured.

"If you say so. But I still think it would be brilliant if you could come visit us instead sometimes. We could even go to my Uncle Ron's house and practice Quidditch for next year! They have enough space outside to have a small practice pitch sort of thing, and we play there all the time! And Rose will be there, and you can meet Hugo, and it'll be totally wicked!"

Scorpius shook his head at his friend's enthusiasm. "And James?"

Albus scowled. "You two need to stop fighting. Then we wouldn't have to worry about anything like that." Scorpius just stared at him pointedly.

The brunette sighed. "Maybe by then things will be better between you two. There's not much we can do until it actually happens right now, I guess." Scorpius nodded, accepting this, and returned to trying to spell their feather.

After Transfiguration, the boys headed for the courtyard to continue hanging out until it was time for their next class. "Oh, wait! I forgot my book back in the classroom! Hang on, Scor, I'll be right back!" Albus turned and dashed back off in the direction they had just come from, calling over his shoulder, "Just wait for me in the courtyard!"

Scorpius smiled faintly and shook his head, but continued on. Albus was quite unlike anyone else Scorpius knew, endlessly kind and friendly to everyone he could be. He was almost unendingly cheerful and very much his, Scorpius', opposite. But perhaps that was why they were such good friends. Opposites tended to attract.

As soon as Scorpius rounded the corner to the courtyard, he knew there was going to be trouble. James was already there with a few of his friends, laughing loudly and, in Scorpius' ears, obnoxiously. Scorpius didn't have any interest in starting a fight all on his own. He had gotten picked on enough already this year without going looking for trouble.

Instead, he leaned against the stone wall just out of sight of the courtyard and waited for Albus to return, closing his eyes and blocking out the sounds coming from the older boys as best he could. Of course, his lack of focus nearly got him knocked off his feet when Albus returned and tackled him excitedly.

"Hey, Scor! What're you doing waiting… here…?" Before he could even finish the sentence, Albus could hear the loud-mouthed boys as well, and he frowned slightly. "Oh."

Scorpius' brows furrowed at the disappointed look that briefly crossed the brunette's face. Feeling guilty, he rested one hand gently on his shoulder, smiling slightly when Albus looked at him. "Why don't we go down to the lake instead?"

Albus nodded reluctantly, but he didn't perk back up right away. It wasn't until the courtyard was far behind them that he finally brightened and began to behave normally again. A very troubled Scorpius tried to put the incident behind him, but the image of Albus' face lingered in his mind for a long while afterward.

_(Time skip)_

Harry woke up feeling warm and content for the first time in months. Maybe even years. With a satisfied yawn, he rolled onto his side, and found himself pressed snugly against a warm, naked body under the blankets. Everything that had happened the night before came rushing back, and Harry sat up slightly to look down at the still-sleeping blonde beside him.

"Merlin," whispered Harry incredulously, sinking back down into the sheets with a muffled groan. "We actually did it."

Not that he hadn't intended to go through with it, but his brain was still trying to catch up with the rest of him at the moment. It seemed difficult to imagine that after so many years of being attracted to women, of being _married_ to a woman, he would find himself in this situation with a man. Considering who the man was, of all blokes, only made it more difficult to believe that it could possibly be true. Draco Malfoy…

Harry turned his head and considered the blonde at his side. His hair was mussed, though just as angelic spread out over the pillow as he had imagined, and his face was relaxed for once, lending him an air of vulnerability that Harry had never seen before. The peaceful image was marred by the dark black tattoo glaring up at him from his forearm.

Cautiously, Harry leaned closer to study the offensive image, frowning slightly. He hadn't been lying when he had told Draco he didn't mind that he had the Dark Mark, but he still wished that there was some way to have it removed. He was sure that it would ease Draco's mind to have the constant reminder out of his life. But no doubt he had already looked into it. It was just something that would have to be endured.

"When you've finished ogling the ugly bit of me, you're welcome to turn your attention to something rather more attractive," drawled Draco, startling Harry from his thoughts. The brunette flushed and quickly pulled back.

"Sorry," stammered Harry immediately.

"Don't apologize. It's hideous, but in a way that makes it hard not to stare, I suppose." The blonde shifted onto his back and crossed his arms behind his head. "Funny seeing you still here. I thought you might have gone back home already."

Harry frowned. "I wasn't going to leave before you woke up."

The earnest answer had Draco nearly shaking his head at the somewhat naïve brunette. "I suppose I should stop being surprised by your utter lack of guile, Potter. But it is probably high time that you returned home and confronted the selfish bint you still call your wife." Harry frowned, clearly not in any hurry to do any such thing.

Draco sighed and glanced over at him. "Need I remind you that Gilbert is coming home today and I will also need to deal with him. It's for the best if we go our separate ways and see what comes after. Shall we plan to meet after work tomorrow?"

Harry's frown morphed into a faint scowl at the mention of the other brunette, but he said nothing against it. He knew Draco was right; they each had responsibilities to attend to for today. Tomorrow after work they would be able to better discuss what had happened between them and their significant others. Reluctantly, Harry nodded. "Yeah, tomorrow after work, then. Sounds brilliant." Draco nodded, accepting this.

"All right, then. Now, we should find your clothes and get you on your way." The blonde slid out of the bed and began to gather the clothes scattered around the edges of the bed. He didn't bother to clothe himself, comfortable with his nudity, and he enjoyed watching the heat flood Harry's face as he watched Draco walking around.

Inwardly, Draco wanted more than anything to let Harry stay there forever. He would turn Gilbert away and get on with the divorce from the cheating, lying witch Harry had been unfortunate enough to marry, and then they would be able to be together whenever they wanted. He would work out a relationship with the wizard he loved, and things would be perfect. However, life wasn't perfect. Draco knew that lesson well by now.

And so he gathered Harry's clothes and handed them over, watching as the brunette quickly dressed, blushing and embarrassed the entire time. For propriety's sake, Draco threw on a robe and followed Harry to the fireplace to watch him leave, biting his tongue the whole time to keep himself from begging the other man to stay even longer.

"If you need me for anything just let me know," said Draco with a shrug. "I intend to be here all day unless something unexpected comes up. If you need any help with the bint just say the word. I'd be only too happy to oblige."

Harry smiled briefly. "Thanks, Draco. I know you mean it, which is the scary part. I can handle Ginny, though. Don't worry."

There was an awkward silence between them for a moment. "Well, I'll see you at work tomorrow, I guess," Harry said finally.

Draco nodded. "Yes, I'll see you then. And after, as well." Harry nodded and then stepped forward and kissed Draco before he could change his mind about it, blushing a shade of red darker than a Weasley's hair.

Surprised, Draco barely had time to return the kiss before Harry was pulling away and tossing the Floo powder, throwing himself into the flames the instant they turned green. Draco watched until the fire turned back to its usual color, and then he sat down on the couch and just stared into the flames. So much for building up walls before the inexcusable could happen.

_(Whew, finally finished. :) I hope you enjoy this, my lovely readers, I worked extra hard on it just for you guys. I am now working two part time jobs, so my schedule is crammed and unpredictable for the remainder of the summer. Let's see how that works in with my schedule for this story, eh? Lol, I seriously do hope everyone reviews this time. I see everyone who only favorites or adds my things to their alerts, and it's all very flattering, but reviews are the perfect pick me up after a hard day at work or helping my mother. So please, PLEASE review! :D I look forward to hearing from you, lovely readers.)_


	14. Chapter 14

_(Wow! I got a good number of reviews this time; I was so thrilled to see such a response! You've touched my heart, lovely readers. And I really needed it this week; it's been kind of crappy. I'm glad everyone enjoyed the last chapter; I hope this next one is equally well received. It seemed like everyone was really interested in seeing what happens between Harry and Ginny. Several people expressed some concern for James and Scorpius, as well. I was a bit nervous about taking the story in that direction, but after several people guessed at it, I decided to go through with it and considering your reactions the last two chapters, it was clearly the right way to go. I'll just continue to follow my gut and trust it to lead me to literary greatness, lol.  
For my anonymous reviewer, I'm flattered that you like my story, and I'm pleased that you're enjoying the direction its taking. As for Scorpius and the rest of our favorite Hogwarts students, there will definitely be some romance in the air as they get older. I can't tell you what the pairings will be yet or it will spoil the surprise. It's going to be a sequel to _You and Me_, several years down the road. So keep an eye out for it. ;)  
Now, on with the chapter!)_

The house was silent when Harry stepped out of the fireplace. Cautiously, he glanced around looking for any clues as to the whereabouts of the house's inhabitants before he proceeded further. Everything still seemed to be as it had been the night before, which meant that Ginny was probably still in bed. More importantly, Dean might still be with her.

Then again, based on what he had heard, this was not a one-night stand. This affair had been going on for some time and if they had been capable of hiding it this long, it was likely that some sort of system had been worked out to ensure that Dean was never caught in the act. Come to think of it, Draco had been surprised to find him lingering this morning. He, too, was familiar with marital affairs, so it seemed as if Harry was the only one out of the loop when it came to the sorts of customs that apparently came with having an affair.

Harry made his way down the hall to the master bedroom quietly, listening for any signs of life anywhere in the house. He leaned carefully against the bedroom door and could hear at least one person breathing on the other side. With a disapproving scowl turning down the corners of his mouth, Harry tried the knob and found it locked against him. He pulled his wand from his pocket and whispered, "_Alohomora_."

Harry could hear the lock reversing through the door, and this time when he tried the knob he was able to open it and step through. Ginny was lying on her back under the bed sheets, her long red hair looking matted and damp pooling out around her head on the pillow. Though the sheets were drawn up nearly to her neck, Harry could tell she was naked beneath them. One bare thigh was peeking out at him towards the foot of the bed where the sheet had become rumpled and ridden up to expose her in the night.

It was such an innocent thing, really. It was entirely possible that Ginny had dressed skimpily for bed for some other reason. But coupled with what he had heard the night before, the lack of clothing was damning evidence against her. The lingering, heavy musk of sex in the air certainly didn't help her case, either.

Harry leaned forward, intending to shake her awake, and then stopped himself. He couldn't simply accuse her point blank. It would be entirely too easy for her to deny it and turn it around on him. He hadn't come home last night, after all. At the very least, she knew he hadn't come home before she had gone to bed. And he hadn't exactly been asleep on Ron and Hermione's couch, the picture of the betrayed husband. No, he had gone out and done something equally wrong, almost more so. Bad enough he had been fooling around with someone else, but now he was figuring out that he was more interested in fooling around with blokes.

No, if he wanted to ensure that Ginny was the only one to take any blame from last night, he would need proof. But that was going to be impossible to provide… Unless…

Harry paused, thinking hard, and then began to smirk. Quietly, he ducked out of the room and headed into his own, quickly rushing to the dresser where his Pensieve sat. Placing his wand at his temple, Harry focused on his memory of the night before and carefully dragged it from his head and into the bowl. Nodding to himself, he then returned to the master bedroom. It would be impossible for Ginny to deny what he had heard with his own ears if she was forced to listen to it herself, word for word from his own memory of the event.

Harry leaned in over the bed a second time, and this time he didn't hesitate to shake Ginny's shoulder, saying her name as well until he saw her beginning to stir, gradually prying her eyes open to see who was disturbing her rest and why.

"…H-Harry?" she finally murmured, sitting up slightly, holding the sheet to her collar to keep from exposing herself. "What is it?" she asked, blinking a few times to clear her vision before looking up at him in confusion. "When did you get in?"

Harry worked to keep his expression blank, thinking of Draco and his emotionless mask. "Not too long after you did," he said nonchalantly, watching her for any signs of nervousness or guilt that would further give her away to him.

She seemed to tense slightly, but he couldn't say for sure, so he remained quiet as he waited for her response. "O-oh. I must have already been asleep, I never even heard you!" She gave a small laugh that sounded just a bit forced.

Harry shrugged. "Must have, I suppose. Where's Lily?"

Ginny smiled, relaxing. She clearly thought he had bought her story already. "Oh, she simply insisted on staying another night at Mum's and I couldn't say no. I hope you don't mind." Harry couldn't help but wonder just who had been the one insisting that Lily stay away another night, their daughter or her mother.

"No, that's fine. I'm sure she's having a good time playing with Hugo." Harry tucked his hands into his pockets, feigning a casual attitude. "Could you get dressed? I have something I need to show you." Ginny nodded, looking curious, but Harry turned on his heel and left the room, shutting the door behind him.

Harry wondered with a faint smile what Draco would have said about his performance. _Very smooth, Potter. You're not quite as hopeless as you first appear, it seems. _The seemingly insulting words would be accompanied by a smirk, but his eyes would be bright and it would help to ease the sting that the words might have otherwise brought.

Ginny stepped out of the bedroom then, still looking rumpled from sleep (and other things, Harry reflected). "Follow me," said Harry, and headed down the hall to his room, fingers flexing briefly as he crossed the room to stand in front of his dresser, staring down at the Pensieve. Ginny stood just behind him, suddenly looking nervous again.

"What is it, Harry?"

He turned to look at her wordlessly for a moment, and then extended his hand to her, waiting until she took it to pull her gently forward until she was standing next to him. "I need you to see this," he said, and then he pulled her with him into the Pensieve, into his memory from the night before. He kept his hand tightly clasped with hers as they stood there, watching as the Harry in the memory glanced around the sitting room after stepping from the fireplace.

He could feel Ginny tense beside him as they watched him stare at the jacket draped over the couch for a moment before a faint sound drew him to the hallway. Ginny resisted a little as Harry followed himself deeper into the house, but she was forced to tag along anyway. Harry wasn't going to let her get away without hearing this.

"_H-he could be home any minute. You need to g-oooh, stop, stop, I'm serious!"_

"Harry," said Ginny tremulously, tugging at his wrist, suddenly aware of just what they were listening to, desperate to escape from the evidence of her betrayal. Tears flooded her eyes. But Harry didn't look at her. He refused to see. He just needed her to hear what he had heard, so that she would know exactly what she had done.

"_You don't really mean that, Gin. You love it when I do this…"_

The pain and fury on the memory Harry's face was clearly visible from where they stood. Harry could feel Ginny trembling beside him, whispering his name, trying to get him to look at her, to say something to her.

"_A-aah, Dean, Dean, you have to go before – oh, _Merlin_ – h-he gets home. Harry will kill you if he finds out about you."_

They both watched as the Harry of last night stood there, shaking with the force of his emotions, and then ran back into the sitting room and disappeared into the Floo. The memory ended there, and they were both thrust back out of the Pensieve and into Harry's bedroom. Harry kept his grip on Ginny's wrist firm. "So, what do you think, Ginny?" Harry asked tensely. "What did you make of my memory from last night when I got home?"

Ginny wiped at her eyes quickly with her free hand, but behind the fear Harry could see the calculating glimmer in her eyes as she tried to think of some way to play off what he had heard as anything other than what it actually was. It was very obvious, though, that it was an impossible task. And so she went for the next best thing.

Ginny threw herself into his arms and began to sob against his shoulder. "I'm so sorry, Harry!" she cried, "I never meant for things to go so far, I… I would never want to betray you like that! You know that, don't you?" she sniffled and looked up at him, seeking sympathy. "I was just… It's been so long for us, and Dean… And then you agreed to a divorce, and I just… I was only… I was weak, Harry! Please forgive me!"

Harry frowned. "Why did you bring him here, Ginny? Into our home? It's bad enough you were running around with him behind my back, but to bring him here? That was when you went too far. I can't forgive you for that."

Harry released her wrist and turned away, but he didn't know what to do or say now. "If we hadn't already agreed to a divorce, we would definitely be getting one now." Ginny didn't say anything to that for a moment.

"Are you really so innocent in all this, Harry?" she finally asked coldly. "Dean told me about the rumors. Everyone's talking about you and your new secret love interest. It's running through the gossip mill like wildfire that you've been seen around with someone else."

Harry snorted, even as inwardly he began to sweat just a little. "Please. The only people I ever talk to outside of work are family or friends. There is no secret love interest. You should know better than to trust the gossip mill by now. I go to work, I go drinking with Draco from time to time, and I'm home. Not much of an opportunity for an affair, now is there?"

Ginny flushed slightly, acknowledging the truth in his words. If only she knew the _real_ truth, he wouldn't be getting off so lightly. But of course it would never occur to her that her husband of so many years would suddenly turn out to like blokes.

"After the Easter holidays, we'll finalize everything. For the kids' sake, you can stay here until after that. But if you bring Dean or any other guy here again, you can find somewhere else to stay. I paid for this place, and that makes it mine. I have the right to kick you out if you do something like that again." There was fire in Ginny's eyes now, enraged at being spoken to in such a way, but enough fear remained that she knew better than to argue, because every word he had said was absolutely correct and there was nothing she could do about it.

So instead, she nodded slowly. "Whatever you say, Harry. It won't happen again."

Satisfied with this, even though he knew Ginny was now thoroughly pissed with him, Harry left her there and went to the kitchen. Before he could go about making breakfast, he spotted a letter on the counter with an unmistakable signature on the front. Harry wasted no time in opening Albus' letter and skimming it quickly.

This needed answering. Immediately.

_(Time skip)_

_Albus,_

_This sounds like something that only James and Scorpius can fix. What James did was wrong, but sometimes we say things that we don't really mean when we're angry and it's hard to be blamed for that. However, it is also on Scorpius to be able to forgive and forget. Try to give them some time. They were acting like close friends during the Christmas holidays. I'm sure that soon they'll forget about it and go back to the way things were. Let me know if things continue like this, though. I'll be writing a letter to James, as well._

_I'll see you soon for the holidays._

_Love, Dad_

_James,_

_I've heard about your little problem with Scorpius. You should know better than to talk about others, and I know I raised you to respect your elders, not insult them behind their backs to their children. You and Scorpius need to work this out, and then I don't want to hear about you acting so childishly again. You are the oldest; you should be setting a good example for Albus and the others. And if I find out that you take it out on Albus that you got caught by me, you'll be losing your Quidditch gear for the summer. Don't try me._

_I'll be seeing you soon for the holidays._

_Love, Dad_

(_Time_ _skip_)

The rest of the day was extremely tense in the Potter household. Lily was picked up from her grandmother's, and she seemed to have had a wonderful time playing with Hugo for two days, but it was also clear that she was happy to be home. Harry and Ginny barely spoke to one another more than necessary, and when they each locked themselves into their separate bedrooms for the night it was with relief.

Harry tossed and turned for hours before finally settling into a troubled sleep. What he wanted more than anything was to go and visit Draco. The blonde was a close friend and now a… a lover, of sorts. If anyone could help him to cope with everything that was happening it was him. Or perhaps Ron and Hermione; they still were always good with helping him deal with stress. But it seemed cruel to force Ron to choose between his sister and his best friend, and he knew that tomorrow at work Ginny would be on the phone with Ron trying to explain away the situation.

The only thing that stopped him from going to Draco was Gilbert. He had no idea what Draco intended to tell him or whether or not the man would still be over there with him. He didn't want to intrude and possibly complicate things further.

And so he stayed in bed, and rose with the sun feeling groggy and irritable. After a hot shower and a bite of breakfast, he felt a little bit better. The reminder that he would be going out with Draco after work today further boosted his mood.

Hermione contacted him around noon, having heard Ginny's side of the story from Ron, and asked for his side. He explained the past few days to her, leaving out everything he could regarding Draco's involvement, and told her not to worry too much, that he was going to handle it as quickly and painlessly as possible.

After that, things got busy, and Harry soon lost track of time as he worked to research several suspects in one of his latest cases for clues regarding means and motive to commit the crime at hand. He glanced up distractedly, hearing someone clear their throat in his doorway, and began to grin when he saw Draco leaning there casually.

"Standing me up, Harry?" he asked with a smirk. "It's quitting time, Most Dedicated Head Auror." Harry rolled his eyes at the title.

"All right, all right, I'm coming. I just got a little too involved with this one case, and I didn't pay any attention to the time…" Draco pushed himself up off the door frame and strolled over to peek at his progress over his shoulder.

"I'd keep an eye on that one," he said knowingly, and tapped a glaring picture with a confident nod of his head. "He never got the Mark, but he liked to associate himself with some very Dark Magic on the side before You-Know-Who fell. He was always more than happy to help the Death Eaters in whatever way he could."

Harry made a quick note of it and smiled. "Thanks, Draco." After sending one last reluctant glance at the paperwork, he gathered it together into his bag and put it away for the moment. It would still be there when he got home later. He would work on it more then, or tomorrow at work.

The two men left the Ministry in a comfortable silence. Once they got outside, Draco asked, "Would you like to come have a drink at my house rather than at Anthony's? It will be a great deal quieter and more private, which would be ideal for what we have to discuss."

Harry hesitated for a moment, thinking of Gilbert and Ginny and a body sharing its warmth with him under expensive sheets. Draco was watching him expectantly, waiting. Harry nodded and took Draco's hand. "Let's go," he said. Draco smiled faintly and Apparated them to his home.

"So…" Harry glanced around nervously as Draco let them in the front door. "How did things go with Gilbert yesterday?"

Draco faltered ever so slightly, then shut the door behind them and headed for the kitchen to fix their drinks. "Well enough. He was a little bit surprised when I informed him that you and I had an arrangement, but he trusts me, I suppose, and he's all right with it. He likes you well enough, which seemed to help."

Harry watched as Draco poured their drinks quickly, his movements smooth and confident. "He loves you," said Harry quietly. Those pale hands jerked, nearly spilling the wine over the countertop. "He told me so the day I came here and went through your things."

Draco was silent, his back still turned to Harry, hands frozen in the process of pouring a second glass. Then, as if he were a machine switched from off to on, he resumed pouring and then set the bottle down. "Enough about me," he said firmly. "Tell me about how things went with the She-Weasel. Did she give you a hard time?"

Harry frowned, clearly not finished with their prior conversation, but he allowed Draco to guide him into the other room and press a glass of wine into his hand, leaning back on the couch to study the blonde sitting next to him for a moment. He could always bring back up the subject of Gilbert later. Malfoy was clearly much more interested in hearing his story first. Once his curiosity was satisfied, perhaps he would be more willing to talk about himself and Gilbert.

"I showed her my memory from last night using the Pensieve you got me." Draco arched a brow at that, clearly impressed with his quick thinking. "She had no way to argue against something like that. It was extremely obvious what she was doing with Dean."

Draco nodded, leaning forward slightly with obvious interest, and Harry continued, "I told her we would discuss us separating with the kids during the Easter holidays, and afterward we would finalize everything and she can move out once it's official. I'm not sure how we're going to handle the kids yet." Harry frowned slightly at the thought. "But she'll be welcome to see them. I don't intend to stop her from being a part of their lives."

Draco nodded again, sipping his drink. "That's good. Very good. But be cautious, Harry. Don't fool yourself into thinking that Ginny will see everything the same way that you do. That sort of thinking is what lost me everything against Astoria. You need to make sure that you discuss how everything will be split before it ever goes in front of a court. Women are vicious, Harry, and they're not above mauling a man, physically or emotionally or financially, in order to get what they want."

Harry nodded. He wouldn't make the same mistake that Draco had. He would be sure to protect his children and his inheritance. More importantly, their inheritance when he finally passed away. The idea of his children being penniless, as Scorpius now was, as he had once been while at the mercy of his aunt and uncle, made him sick.

"Seriously, though, Draco. About Gilbert." The blonde stiffened immediately, but Harry pressed on regardless. "He told me that he loves you. But you don't look happy about it. Do you… not love him back?"

Draco stared down at the glass in his hands for a moment, watching as tiny bubbles floated to the top of his drink and disappeared. "No… I'm afraid that I don't," admitted Draco with a sigh. "If I were to be honest with myself, it would be better if I let him go. I doubt that I'm ever going to love him like he does me."

Harry tilted his head curiously. "Why not?" As much as his gut knotted whenever he saw the two together, Harry had to admit that they looked good with one another. Why would Draco be so sure he could never love him?

"Because…" Draco hesitated, and then glanced at Harry almost as if he were afraid to say the words. "Because I'm in love with… somebody else."

Harry's eyes lit up. _I knew it! I knew he was hiding something all this time!_

"Can you tell me who? It's a bloke, isn't it? If you love him, why aren't you with him right now? Why are you hurting yourself and Gilbert this way?" Harry demanded, scooting closer to Draco, determined to learn as much as he could about his secretive friend while he was being so oddly open about himself for once.

"It's not as simple as that, Harry." Draco looked back down at his drink, frowning. "If it were, I would have said something to him a long time ago. But there's too much in the way at the moment for us to ever be together."

Harry laid his hand on Draco's shoulder comfortingly. "I wish you would tell me who it was. I would help you get him. It can't be _that_ impossible, Draco." Draco glanced back at him briefly, and silver and green locked for a moment.

"You have no idea, Harry. But thank you for the offer. If anything changes, I'll be sure to let you know if you can do anything to help." Harry smiled, pleased by the show of trust, and nodded acceptingly. It was definitely a start.

There was quiet for a few minutes as both men finished off their drinks. Draco leaned forward and placed his empty glass on the table. As he leaned back, he suddenly found himself thrown off balance by the extra weight suddenly forcing his torso down onto the couch. Surprised, he looked up and found himself staring at Harry's grinning face.

"As long as we're here enjoying all this privacy," he explained, his face a deliciously embarrassed shade of red, "I thought we might as well take advantage of it."

Draco smirked, his silver eyes turning molten as lust heated them into twin pools of quicksilver. Before he could lean up and kiss him, though, the brunette leaned back slightly. "Draco… The other night… We didn't go all the way, did we." It wasn't so much a question as it was a statement, and Draco settled back down on the cushions, brows furrowed.

"No, we didn't. You were emotionally distraught and I wasn't going to take advantage of you like that." Harry blinked at him for a moment, confused, and then in amusement and something that had Draco's stomach twisting into fanged snakes. _Forget barriers, I'll need to move out of the bloody country to control this._

"What if I wanted you to take advantage of me?" teased Harry, grinning. It was so much more comfortable teasing and flirting with Draco than it was with Ginny. When he wasn't letting himself get tangled up in guilt (which was quickly disappearing after Ginny's betrayal), he realized he was much more relaxed with Draco. It was easier.

"Yes, well, maybe some other time. When I take you, Harry," purred Draco, leaning up on his elbows to murmur it in his ear, "It's going to be a night you will never forget. And not because you were emotionally distraught beforehand."

Harry shivered slightly, leaning down to kiss the blonde before he could whisper anything else in his ear to make him react that way. "I think I figured out how to shut you up," he muttered when they broke apart for air.

Draco smirked and wove his fingers into his hair. "Let's put it to good use, shall we?"

_(Haha, wow, I finished another chapter already, lovely readers! I think it was all those reviews and opinions and suggestions, they really inspired me to write even more even faster! See what the magical power of the review button can do? :D I really hope you guys like this chapter, even though it's extremely Drarry-centric. Next chapter will have a little more to do with the boys. I needed this chapter to get things done with Harry and Ginny and Draco. Hope you guys don't mind. Nothing's changed overnight with the young ones, anyway, so anything I could have written would have probably bored you, lovely readers.  
As I said, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I look forward to hearing from you as I get started on the next installment. Please, PLEASE review!)_


	15. Chapter 15

_(Hello again, lovely readers. ^^ Here I am, working on yet another chapter for all of you. I've enjoyed all the feedback, and I hope that I managed to answer everyone's questions and concerns fully. If not, just pm me and I'll be sure to respond to you that way. I always love to hear from my readers, so be sure to review! :)  
Oh, since this is now M-rated, I feel as though I am safe to have some more mature language in this story. So I will apologize in advance, lovely readers, if any foul words ruin the chapter for you. Emotions are running high and eloquence seems to be going out the window in places.  
I also have another announcement, lovely readers! There's a poll up on my profile now regarding the sequel to _You and Me_. If you have any specific pairing you would like to see, obviously excluding Drarry since I'm busily setting that up as we speak, lol, just drop by and vote or, if your pairing isn't listed, select 'other' and then pm me with your preferred pairing. I've already got ideas for the sequel, but I've seen varied reviews to this story mentioning several pairings for the children in the future, and I wanted to see what sorts of pairings you, my lovely readers, might be interested in seeing.  
I have noticed that whenever I go try to vote on other peoples' polls, though, that they seem to not be working. Maybe my cheap computer is just malfunctioning. But if it doesn't work and you're interested in letting me know your opinion anyway, feel free to drop me a pm with your vote on pairings.  
And with that, we continue on to the chapter. ^^ REVIEW AND VOTE!)_

Albus was relieved when he finally received word from his father regarding the situation with Scorpius and James. Though he wished there was something he could do to help them settle their differences, he trusted his father implicitly, and so he was prepared to wait patiently for Scorpius and James to work things out for themselves. And if that failed, things would be settled by the end of the week, when they returned home for the Easter holidays. He trusted that between the two of them, their dad and Mr. Malfoy would figure out a way to set things right.

He was a little worried about the fact that their dad had written to James as well. It wouldn't take much for James to figure out who had ratted him out. He was no doubt going to be furious at Albus for getting him in trouble over this, but he simply couldn't stand sitting on the sidelines and doing nothing anymore.

Albus wasn't sure what to do with himself as he watched James, sitting several seats down the table from himself and Scorpius, opening the letter that had been dropped in front of him on his empty breakfast plate.

Scorpius was pointedly ignoring that end of the table, but he could immediately tell that something was wrong with his friend, and he leaned closer, looking concerned. "What's wrong, Albus?" The brunette blinked, tearing his eyes away from his brother to focus on the blonde instead.

He smiled weakly. "N-nothing, it's nothing, Scor. Just… thinking about something."

Scorpius frowned, studying him closely for a moment, before nodding in acceptance and returning to his breakfast. He didn't seem overly curious about the letter Albus had just received, nor did he seem to be in any particular hurry to open his own.

Albus, on the other hand, was not only itching to tell Scorpius what he had done, but he was dying to find out what was in Scorpius' letter and who it was from. He picked at his plate, glancing at James from time to time until he finally caught a glare from the older boy that had him shrinking in his seat. Scorpius noticed immediately, what with his uncanny ability to appear as though he wasn't paying his surroundings any attention when actually he was seeing more than most.

Scorpius swiveled in his seat to glower at the older brunette on his friend's behalf, ignoring Albus' whispered pleas to leave it alone, that it wasn't a big deal. It was surprising that no one could see tangible sparks when the angry students locked eyes. Albus tugged on his sleeve insistently until Scorpius finally broke away from the staring match to acknowledge him.

"He's just mad because I wrote to my dad about you two fighting," Albus quickly admitted. Scorpius' brows shot up, and Albus flushed, shoving his father's letter at him quickly. "I'm just worried about you two!" he said softly, urgently; he nibbled on his bottom lip worriedly as he watched Scorpius skim the letter.

The blonde handed it back when he was finished reading. "It's like your father said. This is between James and I. You don't need to worry so much about us." He smiled slightly, and Albus relaxed. Scorpius, at least, wasn't mad about what he'd done. Then again, he hadn't written to Mr. Malfoy, so it wasn't quite the same situation as it was with James.

"I can't help it, Scor! I hate seeing you two fight!" Albus stowed the letter away in his robes and silence fell between them for a moment. Albus bit his tongue to keep from breaking it, since it seemed like he was almost always the one to do so. But eventually he broke and asked curiously, "So, who is your letter from?"

Scorpius glanced at him and laughed. "I was wondering how long you could go without asking about it. Seriously, Al, you should learn to have a little patience."

Albus just grinned at him. "You know that wouldn't be nearly as fun. Now come on, who's it from? Your dad?"

Scorpius shook his head and picked up the letter, slipping his finger under the seal to open it and draw out the note inside. "It's from my mother. It's probably nothing." Scorpius read over the letter silently. Albus watched with concern as his friend's eyes darkened, and then he extended the letter to Albus to allow him to read it as well.

_Scorpius,_

_Your Easter holidays are coming soon. You will be coming to spend them with me. I'm writing to your father now to let him know not to expect you. I will be picking you up from Platform 9 ¾ in his place. He refused me time with you over the Christmas holidays, so I am writing to you personally so that you are aware of the plan. Do not let your father convince you otherwise, Scorpius. We have much to talk about, you and I._

_I will be waiting._

_Mother_

Albus gaped at the letter, looking back up at Scorpius. "But you hate her!"

Scorpius shrugged, but there was a dark spiral of emotion in his eyes that betrayed him despite the dismissive gesture. "I'm sure my father will take care of it."

Albus frowned, but then grinned to try and cover it up, clapping his hand on the slightly shorter boy's shoulder. They had measured each other again since coming back from Christmas break, and Albus had managed to shoot up an inch taller than Scorpius. The blonde had sworn to him that he would surpass him once more soon enough, but it hadn't happened yet. "Of course he will!" said Albus with more confidence than he felt.

Neither of them felt much like eating anymore, though.

(_Time skip_)

Harry sat in his office with his chin resting on one palm, staring off into space with a faint frown tugging at his lips. The children would be home at the end of the week, and they would have to fill all three of them in on the divorce. It definitely wasn't something Harry was looking forward to. Not to mention he would have to discuss the situation between James and Scorpius with the boys and try to make that right, as well.

Harry almost wished he could fast-forward the holiday and be done with it. He wanted nothing more than to get past all this unpleasantness and move on to focus on something else, anything else. After coming home from work and spending an hour or so with Lily while Ginny made dinner the previous evening, Ginny had informed him that once Lily was asleep she was going out. He knew without her having to say it that she was going to see Dean.

What had driven her to go to him in the first place? Was she so much more miserable than he had ever been to feel as though she had to turn to somebody else, and for so long? Or was it something to do with Harry personally? His mood wilted further. Perhaps he was simply bad in bed and Ginny had grown sick of pretending to like it after all these years. Somehow, was it possible that the crumbling of their marriage was on his head?

By the time work let out for the day, Harry had dug himself into an emotional hole that it seemed impossible to crawl back out of. It was impossible to dredge up any rage at Ginny for reducing him to this when he was already so consumed with his own self-loathing. What would happen if anyone found out about Draco's involvement in all this? Would his friends all turn their back on him for being bent? His children?

Harry slid back into his desk chair and buried his face in his hands with a muffled groan. Everything had been simpler before they had decided to separate. Sure, he had been utterly miserable, but at least he had known how things went. He got home, Ginny made dinner, they fought, and they slept in the same bed. He would wake up and go to work and Ginny would go out to do her thing. It had been better when he hadn't known that 'her thing' was spending time with Dean more often than not.

Harry was startled when two warm weights suddenly settled onto his shoulders. With a sigh, Harry leaned back and looked up at Draco. "Standing me up again?" asked the blonde in an attempt at humor that barely masked his concern.

Here was yet another complication in his life. Spending one or two nights a week talking with Draco and drinking at Anthony's was simple, easy. Spending two or three nights a week lounging on his couch getting kissed senseless wasn't simple at all, despite Draco's assurances that it could be. Between Gilbert and Ginny and the taboo of exploring his newfound attraction to blokes, it definitely wasn't simple like it had been before.

"I'm sorry, Draco," muttered Harry. "I was just… thinking."

Draco hummed quietly and leaned closer to him. "Yes, so I see. I've warned you about wasting such effort on something that clearly gives you trouble." He smirked, and Harry felt a faint smile twitch at his lips, but it wasn't enough to cheer him up like usual.

"I'm… not very good company right now. Maybe we should do this tomorrow night instead." Draco arched a brow.

"So you _are_ standing me up," he murmured. Harry immediately felt guilty, though he wasn't quite sure why. As far as he could tell, they weren't in any sort of real relationship. Gilbert was still in Draco's life, despite their conversation regarding the other man. Harry was still technically married to Ginny, even though that was going to be over very, very soon. They were just fuck buddies, to put it blatantly, and they weren't even really that because they still hadn't done anything together other than some serious kissing and that one mutual wanking session.

"It sounds so much worse when you say it like that," pointed out Harry with a small frown. "I just don't think I'm really in the proper mood for… us, tonight. You should probably go home and spend the evening with Gilbert instead or something." The mental image that his suggestion created only worsened the tension building up within him.

Draco was silent at this, stirring Harry's curiosity enough that he twisted around to see the blonde's face again. It was tightly shuttered, emotions locked away behind his usual mask. Harry felt the knots in his stomach turn into heavy stones. "I see," was all he said. "Do let me know when you're in the mood for… us."

With that, he turned on his heel and walked out before Harry could figure out how to backtrack and repair whatever damage his words had done. He quickly shot to his feet and snatched up his things, rushing out after Draco.

The other man was quicker than Harry had anticipated, though. By the time he reached the lifts, Draco was nowhere in sight. Harry muttered a curse and waited impatiently for another lift to arrive, looking about wildly for the blonde as soon as he was clear of the lift. Still nothing. It was clear that if Harry wanted to apologize to Draco for hurting his feelings, or his pride, or whatever it was that he had done, he was going to have to follow the blonde all the way home.

Harry Apparated there without hesitation. He had been there often enough by then that it took almost no effort at all to do so, as easy as if he were Apparating to his own home. Harry knocked quickly and waited. When no one came to let him in, he knocked again, harder. By the time he finally could hear footsteps within, he was pounding on the door with his fist, shouting Draco's name frustratedly. Gilbert nearly got a bloody nose for his trouble. Harry managed to stop himself, then remembered the stony knots in his stomach and nearly punched him anyway. It might not help him relax any, but it would almost be worth a try.

Gilbert was frowning at him, his body wedged partially into the doorway, keeping the door from opening fully so that Harry couldn't get inside. "Hello there, Harry. Is there something I can help you with?"

Harry shifted his bag from one hand to the other, trying to exert some control over his raging emotions. It seemed as though he was somehow furious and despondent all at once, and the combination was a troubling one to stomach. On one hand, he wanted nothing more than to shove Gilbert aside and confront Draco. On the other, he wanted to turn and go home and hide in his bedroom rather than face the impending rejection from Draco. After all, what was stopping the blonde from returning the favor, considering Harry had just done the same to him? And he had Gilbert. Just like Ginny, he had somebody else that could please him. What need did he have for Harry?

"I need to talk to Draco," said Harry finally.

Gilbert glanced briefly over his shoulder into the house, then back at Harry. "I don't think he wants to talk to you."

There was an irate shout from within, muffled enough that Harry couldn't understand the words. Draco was probably in the bedroom. Harry could feel the stony weight in his belly sprouting thorns. It was only the fact that Gilbert appeared to be completely dressed, and not at all mussed, that kept him from losing his cool.

"Please, Gilbert. I need to apologize to him."

The blue-eyed brunette ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. "Bloody hell. Come in, then. Go back and have a go at calming him down. He won't let me anywhere near him." He shut the door as Harry came in. "Merlin, between you and Astoria, I'll be surprised if he doesn't break something before the night is through."

Harry stopped, surprised. "Astoria?"

Gilbert nodded, looking suddenly weary. "She sent him a letter that has him all stirred up. Not that he's let me see it, what with all the rampaging. He was in a right foul mood already after whatever you did to upset him. Now he's out to have a row with the first person he can lay eyes on, and I'm not in the mood to have it be me tonight."

Harry frowned and nodded, suddenly feeling even worse for unwittingly adding to Draco's emotional distress. "I'll see what I can do. Thanks, Gilbert." He turned to head back to the bedroom, but stopped when he heard his name once more.

"He's… happier. With you, I mean. Don't tell him I've told you anything, but I felt like you should know. Draco sometimes hides his feelings a little too well." Harry blinked, surprised. Gilbert was smiling at him, albeit sadly.

"I… I told him you loved him. Thought you should know. Apparently you hide your feelings a little too well, too." And with that, Harry turned and made his way down the hall without waiting for a response. All this emotional sharing and caring with Gilbert was enlightening, but apologizing to Draco and helping him with whatever problems Astoria was causing for him seemed more important to him at the moment.

Harry knocked at the door, saying, "Draco?" He tried the knob, and was surprised when it turned. Ginny always locked the door when they were fighting.

"Gilbert! Salazar, I told you to bloody well leave me al–" He broke off, startled to see that it wasn't Gilbert at his door.

Harry lifted his hand in an awkward wave. "Sorry, it's me. I wanted to apologize for earlier. Gilbert told me I could come back and try to cheer you up."

Draco stared at him silently for a moment, as if he were some sort of apparition, and then shook himself ever so slightly. "…I thought you weren't in the mood for 'us' tonight." Harry winced at the cold words. Draco seemed to have taken the words to heart, far more than he had ever intended for him to. He was reminded of Gilbert's warning from mere moments before.

"Sorry. Like I said, I've just been in a bloody awful mood all day and I didn't want to force my company on you if I was going to be all depressed and annoying. It wasn't you, Draco, it was just me. Ginny… went to go see Dean again last night." Harry could see comprehension stirring in those now-familiar silver eyes, piecing together what must have been a disjointed puzzle to the other man up until that very moment.

Draco released a soft, almost shuddering breath, and then seemed to pull himself together. "Harry, I've told you not to let anything that bint says or does upset you anymore. By the end of the week you'll explain everything to your children as best you can, and after that you merely have to tidy up any loose ends and let the legal process do its work and you'll be officially separated before the final exams hysteria has had time to take over Hogwarts."

Hearing it so clearly explained, so calmly and logically, made his concerns sound almost foolish. "You make it sound so easy," muttered Harry, shoving his hands into his pockets. Draco chuckled softly and sat on the end of the bed.

"Maybe it's because I've already done it myself." Inwardly, he was rather bemused. He had been in a righteous fury, ready to tear apart the first person he laid eyes on. And then Harry had walked into the room, the very last person he had expected (and the first he had hoped for, if he was honest with himself). It had been impossible to cling to his hurt and anger when it was clear Harry himself was in need of soothing.

Harry sank down onto the mattress beside Draco. Their thighs brushed. "Gilbert mentioned you got a letter from Astoria."

And the fury was back.

"That little bitch thinks she can waltz back into the bloody picture whenever she fancies and take what she likes," growled Draco, his eyes darkening and narrowing in a way that had Harry thinking twice about coming over to sit beside him. "She's insisting – not requesting, _demanding,_ the impudent slag – that Scorpius spend the entirety of the Easter holidays with her. She said, and I quote, 'Don't bother showing up at the Platform on Friday for Scorpius. I shall be picking him up that day and dropping him off there at the end of the holiday.'"

Harry looked surprised. "You won full custody of Scorpius, right? She doesn't have the right to give orders like that, does she?"

Draco scowled. "Like hell she does. But that doesn't stop her from trying, of course. Bloody witch will be lucky I don't hex her if she tries to take him." Harry watched as Draco clenched and unclenched his hands in his lap, as if already imagining the spells he would cast on his ex-wife if she showed her face at the Platform.

Harry placed his hand on Draco's shoulder reassuringly. "Hey, I'll be there, too, remember? She won't stand a chance between the two of us." Draco glanced up at him, and a faint smile gradually replaced the ugly glower.

He leaned forward and kissed Harry lightly on the mouth. "…Thanks."

Harry smiled widely. "No problem."

Neither of them noticed the bedroom door shutting ever so quietly.

_(Time skip)_

"Listen, Scor, if your mom shows up, you can just come with me! My dad will definitely protect you until your dad can show up and send her packing!"

The blonde rolled over onto his stomach, contemplating the brunette and the chessboard between them. "…Pawn to B3," he instructed quietly, watching with quiet consideration as the piece moved into position. "What if your father decides to turn me over to my mother? He may not know not to, and if she Apparates me somewhere my father might not be able to find me." Albus frowned and distractedly sent his Knight to D4.

"We can distract him for long enough that your father will come find us before that happens. My mom might not like you, but my dad does. If I tell him that your mom is bad news, he'll listen. He'd at least wait for your dad to get there so he can decide if she can take you or not. They're friends, too, remember?"

Scorpius nodded and casually decimated Albus' Knight with a Pawn sent directly to D4. Albus sat up slightly in protest. "Hey! I was about to take out your Pawn at B3!" He gestured wildly at the board, frustrated by the loss.

Scorpius rested his chin on his folded hands, looking very much like the cat that caught the canary. Actually… make that the _snake_ that caught the canary. "Sometimes," he said knowingly, "You have to lay out bait to get your larger target in range."

Albus pouted, but then suddenly brightened and sent his Bishop from G7 to shatter Scorpius' previously triumphant Pawn. "And sometimes," he crowed, "There's an even _larger_ target waiting behind that one to get you!"

Scorpius didn't seem too troubled by the loss. Except for the slight darkening of his eyes, and the whitening of his knuckles as his fists clenched slightly, you'd have never known he even noticed the loss at all.

They played until just before curfew and decided to call it a draw after dancing in and out of check for several moves. Albus packed away the game as Scorpius gathered his homework (which Albus had been copying before the game had begun, as usual).

"Don't worry about it too much, okay, Scor?" Albus paused outside the library to reassure his friend one final time before bed. "We won't let anything happen to you. Even James, even though you two are fighting still."

Scorpius frowned at the mention, but then his smile returned. "I trust you, Albus. I'll see you in the morning." They waved at each other and went their separate ways, one to the dungeons and the other to the tower, but neither of them could fully shake the subconscious feeling that something unpleasant was coming in their very near future. And neither of them really believed that it had anything to do with their final exams.

_(Wow, this seemed to take forever! My muse sputtered out and died halfway through this chapter, lovely readers! I've had to struggle to get it finished for your viewing pleasure. I hope everyone it pleased with what they read, even though I'm worried it's shorter than usual. I hope no one is too disappointed. Look, a distraction! Plot! And time with the boys! Please ignore my fail!chess. It seemed like something I could see them doing, very reminiscent of another set of best friends that once ran through the halls of Hogwarts.  
Please, please, please, please, PLEASE review, my lovely readers! And remember to vote about the sequel! ^^)_


	16. Chapter 16

_(I'm so glad that all my lovely readers were surprised and pleased with my twist last chapter. ^^ Since is apparently having technical difficulties regarding their poll system, I'm going to keep people informed about the poll here until it gets fixed.  
As of 4:11 pm, 6/19/2011:  
AlbusxScorpius, 5  
JamesxScorpius, 3  
Lilyx?, 1  
ScorpiusxRose, 1_

_Keep in mind that I _will_ be taking the poll into account while writing the sequel, which is as of yet untitled. Since I can now see the light at the end of the tunnel with this story, it only seemed fitting to start prepping for the next one.  
I was sooooo pleased with all my reviews I got this time! I can't wait to see the comments my lovely readers leave me at the end of this one! Review and Vote!)_

Suddenly, it seemed as though the days that Harry had wanted to rush by were moving far too quickly for him. Tuesday had come and gone already, without much warning at all, and Wednesday was nearly over as well. It seemed like Friday would arrive long before he was ready for it. Where had the week gone?

Harry and Ginny had by then agreed to discreetly cycling their nights, each taking the opportunity to spend the majority of the night elsewhere on every other evening. Tuesday, Ginny had left Harry alone with Lily after she was asleep, and had still been gone when Harry finally went to bed himself around midnight. It had once again gone unspoken between them that she would be away spending time with Dean.

Harry had come home for dinner from work on this, Wednesday evening, and was waiting for Lily to turn in so that he could go to Draco's. If it weren't for the issue with Astoria on Friday, Harry would almost be willing to skip an evening and go somewhere else instead. He didn't particularly like the way Ginny was looking at him whenever he talked about going to spend his night hours with the former Slytherin anymore.

The very idea that there was gossip possibly flying around about his secret new love life of sorts, or that it might potentially be anywhere close to the truth (not to mention that Ginny might actually be listening to any of it, let alone whatever that bastard Dean was telling her), was worrisome to say the very least.

However, he knew that Draco was counting on him now more than ever to keep him sane. Despite Harry's mental depreciation, Draco had assured him that without Harry's help he would go absolutely barmy and go after Astoria on his own, before she even had the chance to go after Scorpius for the holiday. So of course the brunette felt obligated to show up as usual and support him in his time of need.

It was Draco that opened the door for him, once he finally managed to escape his house and Apparate over to the blonde's. Gilbert was curiously absent, Harry noted as he walked in, but Draco was typically closed-mouthed as he led Harry to sit down and so Harry was left quite in the dark about the other man's whereabouts.

He hoped somewhere deep, _deeeeeeeeep_ inside, that Gilbert was going to stay out of Draco's life this time and not show back up without warning to resume his role in the blonde's life. He quickly reassured himself that it was only because it was unfair to Gilbert, all things considered. He didn't care who Draco was with. They were only fuck buddies, after all. _And,_ he reminded himself once more as the blonde in question took a seat beside him, _not even really that._

Draco was saying something to him now. He could see his mouth moving, but nothing that came out was registering in his mind. His thoughts were drowning out everything else. It was almost comical, wasn't it? Almost pathetic, actually. Ginny was cheating on him, and had been for a while. They were getting divorced soon. Very soon. Here Draco was, offering to show him the ins and outs of a relationship with a bloke, and yet nothing much ever happened between them, aside from that one time.

Harry was absolutely sick of it. Sick of the turmoil of emotion, sick of the indecision and uncertainty, sick of leaving it up to someone else to decide what was best for themselves while expecting him to play right along with their decision. He blinked, tuning back into the conversation he'd been ignoring when Draco suddenly rested his hand on Harry's shoulder, silver eyes searching his face concernedly. "… really should have said something earlier if you were feeling unwell, Harry. You know I would have understood if –"

Harry reached up and dragged the blonde closer by the arm already stretched toward him, devouring his mouth with unmistakable intent. He took advantage of Draco's surprise and pushed him onto his back, straddling him. Despite the unexpectedness of the move, it didn't hinder Draco's response, kissing him back with equal fervor. Harry pulled away and looked down at the taller man with unreadable green eyes.

Draco stared back up at him expectantly, clearly waiting for some sort of explanation for his uncharacteristic behavior.

"Do you want me?" asked Harry seriously, each word carefully pronounced as if to ensure that there was no mistaking his meaning.

Draco's brows furrowed. "Harry, I don't…"

Another short, hard kiss interrupted his unsatisfactory answer. Their foreheads pressed together as Harry relented once again, repeating his question, slowly and clearly, just as he had before. "Do you want me? Yes or no, only."

Draco considered him seriously for a long moment, and then sighed. "Of course I want you, you silly Gryffindor. But –"

That was all Harry needed to hear. He plundered Draco's mouth for a third time, stealing his voice and any arguments or protests he might have harbored. He was done with waiting. He was Harry Potter, dammit. If he wanted something, he could bloody well take it. No more letting others decide when and how he got it.

Still busily mapping out the inside of Draco's mouth with his tongue, Harry fumbled slightly and found the buttons of the blonde's shirt, quickly undoing them while Draco was too distracted to try and thwart him. He slid his hands around to his back, pushing the shirt out of the way as he did so, and suddenly shifted them so that Draco was straddling his lap. After that, it was easy to get those long, lean legs wrapped around his waist, maneuvering them both until Harry found his way to his feet, finally breaking their kiss so he could see where he was going.

Draco pressed wet, open-mouthed kisses to his throat as Harry carried him down the hall, murmuring, "What's gotten into you?"

Harry smiled, and it felt like the first genuine smile in quite some time. "I'm just finally doing what I want."

Draco smirked and leaned back slightly to look into his eyes as Harry struggled to get the door to the bedroom open while his hands were so clearly otherwise occupied. His eyes were dark with concentration and lust, but they brightened slightly as the door suddenly swung open, his attempts finally successful, and Draco swallowed hard. "Taking charge?" he asked casually, forcing a nonchalant tone.

Harry entered the bedroom and kicked the door shut behind them. He strode across the room quickly and dropped Draco onto the bed, grinning down at him. "You could say that."

Draco finished shrugging out of his undone shirt and lay back on the bed, tossing the offending article to the floor. "By all means," he tempted the brunette with a sly grin, sprawling out seductively. He hoped that his racing heart could be written off as a by-product of all the sexual tension. Maybe Harry would be so involved with his 'taking charge' plan that he wouldn't even notice. But Draco acknowledged that it didn't have nearly as much to do with the prospect of sex as it did with just _who_ the sex would be with.

Harry was staring at him, his eyes dark once more. The intensity there sent a faint shiver up his spine. Harry tugged his shirt over his head and threw it to the side with Draco's. Then he climbed up onto the bed and straddled the blonde, staring down at him seriously. "Do you want me?" he asked again, just as deadly serious as before.

"Yes," said Draco, curling his arms around his neck, bringing him down for another kiss. _More than anything._ He had exerted inhuman self-control up to this moment. He had resisted a temptation which he had been craving for two decades, if not more. Could he be blamed for falling now, with the object of his affection and lust so determinedly seducing him? Salazar, he wasn't a _saint_, after all; he was a Malfoy, and Malfoys could only be so perfect.

Harry's hands were soon active once more, exploring his naked chest and abdomen, slipping just under the waistband of his trousers to tease him, leaving him softly groaning for more. "I thought I was the one giving the lessons here," complained Draco good-naturedly as Harry finished stripping them both, retaining his dominant position atop the blonde.

Harry smirked down at him. "I believe more in hands-on learning." He demonstrated his point by smoothing his hands down from Draco's shoulders to his thighs, brushing teasingly close to where he knew the blonde wanted it most, but not quite touching yet. Draco tangled his fingers in the sheets and muttered "Tease," in such a tone that it had Harry laughing softly as he leaned down to kiss the blonde again.

Harry's confidence faltered slightly as he realized that he wasn't quite sure where to go from there. He knew the basic mechanics behind what they were about to do, but having never experienced it for himself, he was feeling less than capable of taking charge of such a situation. However, Draco seemed willing to help.

"You could do it the old-fashioned way," explained Draco, leaning over to fetch his wand from his bedside table, "But it will probably be easier for your first time if I show you a few… short cuts." The wink which accompanied this statement had Harry blushing as he, too, went looking for his wand so that he could do as Draco instructed.

Several awkward moments and a few sad attempts later, Harry finally felt like he had a grasp on the preparatory spells Draco murmured to him, saying the words several times until they felt comfortable with allowing him to actually cast them on the waiting blonde.

Perhaps more practice was in order, however, as Harry was soon babbling apologies by the time he was finished, wincing at every too-harsh exhale that escaped from the body beneath him. "Bloody _fuck_, you completely botched that lubrication spell, it's cold as bloody _ice_," hissed Draco, head tipped back into the pillows so that his hair pooled majestically around his head, his neck completely exposed. Harry couldn't resist the tempting target, continuing to murmur apologies as he kissed along the pale stretch of skin.

Positioning himself at the blonde's entrance with a little encouragement, Harry hesitated, looking up at the other's face for just a moment. The molten silver eyes which flashed back at him, urging him onward, was all the reassurance he needed. Pushing forward, Harry exhaled sharply, groaning, "Bloody _hell_, Draco, so… tight… Merlin…"

Draco moaned, letting his eyes fall closed. "Move…" he panted, fingers curling more tightly into the sheets, mentally overwhelmed by the fact that his most secret fantasies were coming to life right then and there. Harry drew back, and then thrust forward again, biting down on his lower lip to keep from moaning. His pace was slow and careful at first, worried about hurting the blonde beneath him, but as his arousal grew, his inhibitions fled, until he was gasping for breath, heart racing; was it just him or was the entire bed moving in time with them now?

The only words between them were pleas of "Faster" and "More". The silence enveloping them was only broken by the sounds they made themselves; the squeaking of the mattress and their panting breaths, interrupted by moans and gasps as their bodies arched and writhed together. It almost felt as if the whole world stopped for them, as if there was no life, no noise, outside of the room in which they had closed themselves.

Fingers were digging into his back, his mouth fierce and wet locked onto his, breaking to pant and moan and then returning for more. There was no place for clear thought here, only jumbled images and the most basic sensations that rolled together into a mounting pleasure that rose and rose and rose and then, without warning, broke off sharply and took over everything until there was nothing else left to feel, to think. There was only the two of them and the twisted, dirty sheets in which they were tangled together.

Harry collapsed onto his side, exhaustion already beginning to set in and shut him down. He curled his arm around the trim waist at his side and was allowed to pull his companion in closer to use in place of a pillow. With a yawn, Harry shut his eyes, feeling warm and relaxed and content. Just before he drifted off, he thought he felt fingers sliding gently through his disheveled hair, and thought he could feel the briefest press of lips to his forehead. A voice, barely a whisper, sighing, "_I love you_," against his skin. Harry slipped off the edge of consciousness into sleep before he could wonder if he was already dreaming.

(_Time skip_)

Harry woke with a start. He blinked owlishly, and found himself staring up at Draco, standing at the side of the bed clad in only a pair of pants. "Get up," said Draco, giving his shoulder another gentle shake, clearly having been trying to wake him up for some time now. Harry yawned and sat up, rubbing his eyes.

"What's wrong?" he asked wearily.

Draco rolled his eyes and glanced pointedly at the window. It was completely dark outside, black as pitch thanks to the new moon in the sky stealing the usual midnight light from the sky. "Only you, Potter. Get _up_. Do you have any idea what time it is?"

Draco watched as the cogs in the brunette's brain slowly, ever so slowly, began to turn. His eyes widened when it clicked. "Oh, bloody hell!" He scrambled up from the bed, and found himself with an armful of clothes.

"Calm down, it's not quite as late as all that." At Harry's glare, he shrugged. "I've found that a sudden surge of adrenaline is the best way to wake a body up." He smirked. "I didn't fall asleep, unlike somebody I could mention, so I've been watching the time for you." Harry flushed, feeling quite exposed as he realized that those silver eyes were watching his every move now that his modesty was no longer being protected by the bed sheets, and he quickly slipped into his pants.

"Thanks for that. I didn't –"

Draco waved aside his explanations with a snort, as if it were unnecessary to even consider needing to thank him for the favor. Draco didn't intend to let anything ruin his time with Harry now. If secrecy was what was needed to continue this between them, he would skip sleeping a hundred nights in order to keep him coming back. "If I had a problem with it," said Draco for Harry's benefit, "I'd have woken you sooner, obviously."

Harry shook his head, frowning. "No, I meant… Last night. I didn't…" He sighed, and scratched the back of his neck. "I didn't come over here planning for… all that. I just… I don't know, something came over me and I just…"

Harry found himself suddenly interrupted by a pair of insistent lips pressed to his own, swallowing his embarrassed apology. "You asked me if I wanted you, and I said yes." Draco smirked. "If I hadn't wanted any part of it, I would have just hexed you. Don't go getting all shy and regretful now." Harry smiled, reassured. "Now, hurry and dress, you need to get home before the She-Weasel gets too suspicious."

Harry nodded, and Draco left the room so Harry could dress. Harry found his thoughts drifting as he did so. Last night… _Fingers sliding through his hair, a kiss on the forehead, a whispered 'I love you'…_ Harry shook himself. Clearly, he needed to get more sleep. His dreams were getting more and more unrealistic all the time.

Draco was waiting for him in the sitting room, contemplating the dancing flames in the fireplace from the couch. Harry flushed again as he allowed his gaze to sweep over the relaxed blonde for a moment, following the slim lines of his body, looking so delicate and pristine. Yet he knew that underneath were coiled muscles, just like a snake. Like a Slytherin. Yet again, his eyes were drawn to the black tattoo on his arm.

Harry tore his eyes away from it and cleared his throat, drawing those pensive gray eyes to him. He rose, and Harry crossed the room to stand before him. There was a moment of awkward silence, and then Draco turned away to fetch the Floo Powder.

"If not before, I suppose I'll see you at the Platform on Friday." Harry nodded as he took some of the powder, stepping toward the fireplace.

"Don't worry, Draco. We won't let her get him." Draco nodded, a faint smile curving his lips. Harry tossed the powder into the flames and watched them flare bright green. "Hey, and Draco?" The blonde lifted a brow, waiting. Harry flashed him a smile. "Thanks."

With that, he stepped into the flames and headed home, and Draco slowly let himself sink to the floor, leaning back so that his head rested on the couch.

He truly was an idiot.

(_Time skip_)

"I still don't see why you're dragging me into this," muttered James with a scowl. Albus swatted his knee and ignored the hissed curses that his brother spat at him for it.

"Because you and Scorpius are friends, even though you're fighting right now. And if Astoria gets him because you're being a jerk, you'll feel guilty forever." Albus crossed his arms, nodding his head confidently, and James muttered under his breath but he didn't bother arguing any further. It was good enough for Albus.

"So, Rose, you'll stay on Scorpius' left, I'll be on his right, and James will follow from behind. If we have one more person, we could have them walk in front. It's just like chess; we've got to protect the queen until we can get to safety!"

"That's a stupid metaphor," began James, but he was interrupted by Rose.

"I think it's a sound idea, Albus, but have you talked to Scorpius about all of this yet?" The brunette scuffed the floor with his foot.

"Well, kind of." Rose gave him a look and he relented. "Okay, not really. But it's okay! All we have to do is protect our queen, and –"

The sound of the door behind them had them all turning quickly. Scorpius stood in the doorway to the train car, having been sent to buy everyone snacks from the trolley as a way of getting him out of earshot while they discussed the plan. "I'm not a queen," he said mildly, and dumped his purchases on one of the empty seats.

James was the first to react, sitting up straighter in his seat. "You sure about that?" he scoffed, "You sure look the part, pretty boy."

Albus leapt up as Scorpius started forward, murder in his eyes. He laid a hand on the blonde's chest, but it still took several tense moments of deadlock between the older brunette and the blonde before green eyes broke away from silver and Scorpius looked at Albus, softening slightly. The two sat as far away from James as possible, while Rose remained standing as another barrier of sorts between the warring boys.

"All right, fighting like this isn't going to help anything. Scorpius, Albus is just trying to formulate a plan to keep Astoria from getting to you. And James _is_ going to help." James snorted, but Rose shot him a quelling look that kept him from voicing his thoughts.

Scorpius was quiet for a moment. "I think," he began, "that Albus is making too big a deal out of this. All we have to do is find my father. He won't let my mother get anywhere near me."

Albus jumped up, overexcited and exuberant as always. "But Scorpius, that's what we're planning for here! What if your mom gets there first and we run into her before we find your dad? We have to have a plan to keep you safe until your dad or our dad finds us and can get rid of her!"

Scorpius considered this, and then reluctantly nodded.

"Yeah, you'd better appreciate it if we're doing all this for your sake," muttered James.

Scorpius shot to his feet, and James immediately followed suit. "Albus," said Scorpius tightly, "Could I have a few words alone with your brother?"

Albus frowned, clearly uncomfortable with the idea of leaving the two of them alone. Scorpius glanced at him, though, and beneath the fiery anger Albus could see something that made him give in. "Come on, Rose. We'll give you five minutes." Albus shot both of them a warning look before he opened the door and stepped into the hall, letting Rose shut it behind them with one last worried glance at the feuding pair.

Neither of them could be sure who moved first, but both of them would carry the bruises from it afterward. They punched and they kicked and they shoved one another, each struggling to gain the upper hand. Scorpius was stronger than James had given him credit for, but James was heavier than Scorpius had imagined, and it didn't take long for the older boy to pin the younger to the floor of the car, both of them panting.

Blood trickled from Scorpius' lip, and a bruise was quickly swelling on James' jaw. The brunette scowled down at him. "Why do you hate me?" he demanded. "I've apologized for the stupid stuff I said at the Quidditch pitch! Why can't you just forgive me?"

Scorpius squirmed slightly, but the hands gripping his wrists refused to budge, as did the solid weight on his chest. "You can say the words all you want," he said sharply, "But you've never done anything to back them up!"

Frustrated, James lifted him up slightly and then thumped him against the floor, hard. "What do you want from me?" he demanded.

Scorpius lifted his head, even though his wrists were still pinned to the floor. The boys were nearly nose to nose. "If I have to tell you, it doesn't count! If you can't figure it out on your own, how can I trust it?"

James scowled and sat up slightly, releasing his wrists. He remained perched on top of him, though, keeping him from going anywhere. "If you don't give me a chance I'll never be able to prove myself to you," he muttered.

Scorpius frowned, but he kept still, allowing his breathing to return to normal. "You've just been getting angrier lately. It's hard to try and trust someone that's constantly glaring at you." James scratched the back of his head.

"It's hard to be nice to someone that won't even give you a chance to earn back their trust in the first place." They stared at each other for a moment. James got up and offered a hand to Scorpius. The boy stared at it, and then him. Then he reached for the hand and allowed the older boy to pull him to his feet.

"I guess we were both in the wrong," muttered Scorpius reluctantly. James nodded, equally adverse to admitting to being in the wrong, but willing to go along with it so long as Scorpius was going to take an equal share of the blame.

"Truce?"

The clasped hands became a handshake, and then they let go. Scorpius smiled ever so slightly.

"Truce."

The car door flew open as Albus flew back into the room, mouth already running a mile a minute, "I couldn't stay outside for five whole minutes, I had to come and check on you guys! Rose said I was being silly, but –"

He broke off, quickly taking in the scene. He brightened, completely ignoring the bloody lip and bruised jaw. After all, what were a few superficial wounds between friends if it meant that everything would be okay between them again? "Aww, you guys made up! I knew you two couldn't fight forever! See, you really are friends, even though you were fighting!"

Scorpius and James exchanged a look. "I guess he's right," said James with a shrug. Scorpius smile grew a little.

"I suppose so."

_(Wow. Harry just kind of took off on this tangent all on his own. I definitely didn't plan on what happened for this chapter, but I'm a slave to my muse, and this is what it insisted we create. XD I hope everyone enjoys it.  
The same kind of goes for the boys. They were just off and fighting before I got to give it much thought. But hooray for them being friends again! And is it me, or did I slip in a little UST? Just me? All right, then. ^^  
Make sure to keep voting, lovely readers, and drop a review as well letting me know what you think. Next chapter: the confrontation with Astoria! Be sure to REVIEW AND VOTE! :D )_


	17. Chapter 17

_(WOW! I got so many reviews this time, lovely readers! I was grinning like an idiot even though I was working a night shift, and all my fellow employees kept asking why I was so happy! It's because I kept getting emails and messages about this story and the sequel! :D Happy Storm is happy!_

_All right, as of __3:00 pm, 6/27/2011, since the poll is broken, my personal poll I'm keeping stands at:  
AlbusxScorpius, 8  
JamesxScorpius, 6  
Lilyx?, 1  
ScorpiusxRose, 1  
Jamesx?, 1  
I've already told several lovely readers individually, but let me make it general knowledge now: The number of votes is only half the battle. If you really want your pairing to win, let me know why! Tell me why you think Albus and Scorpius are better meant for each other than James and Scorpius, or vice versa! Your arguments for your pairing of choice will help to sway my decision._

_I'm so glad that everyone seems to have enjoyed by impromptu muse-driven chapter, and I hope that everyone will enjoy this next one as well. I look forward to hearing from all my lovely readers again. ^^ Remember to REVIEW AND VOTE! :D )_

It was difficult to enjoy the rest of the train ride to Platform 9 ¾, despite the return of James and Scorpius' friendship. The car was suffused with anxiety over the approaching confrontation with Astoria. Rose had left a short while ago to chat with some of her Ravenclaw friends, but she had promised to return before they arrived.

Scorpius kept up a cool exterior, but his fingers were restless; crossing and uncrossing, linking and twisting, until Albus finally leaned over and put his hand on top of them, smiling at him reassuringly when the blonde glanced his way.

James, now seated to the other side of Scorpius, laid a hand on his shoulder and announced, "Nobody's going to put their hands on you, Scor! We'll make sure of it!" Surrounded by such confidence and enthusiasm, Scorpius' spirits lifted briefly, and a small smile was bestowed to both brunettes for the comfort they offered him.

It was late in the afternoon by the time the Hogwarts Express reached the Platform. The foursome hurried to grab their belongings and slip into the crowd of students being herded toward the doors, still trying to maintain their protective formation. Scorpius scanned the Platform for any sign of his father or, more importantly, his mother. Even Mr. Potter would suffice, instead of being left to their own devices such as they were now.

"Hey, there's Mom!" said Albus, pointing into the crowd. Sure enough, there stood Ginny and Lily, waiting. "Aww, but she hates your dad, Scor…" Albus muttered it as if he had only just remembered that little fact.

James edged closer to Scorpius, glancing around. "Where are our dads?" he asked, voice low. "They should be here."

They spent a moment hesitating, and then Scorpius lifted his chin, determined. "Mrs. Potter will have to do until we can find my father." He took off in a fast walk that the others quickly rushed to match, not giving them any time to think the plan over before it was already being implemented. Rose branched off to meet up with her own parents, but it didn't matter too much anymore. They hopefully would get all the help they needed in just a moment. Ginny seemed to sense them approaching and turned, smiling, until she saw just who was with them and her smile faded slightly.

"Mom, Mom!" Albus rushed forward, grabbing her arm. "We have to protect Scorpius! Just until we can find Mr. Malfoy! Where's Dad?"

Ginny frowned now, confused and displeased by the mere mention of the older Malfoy. "He's running late. He went to pick up Mr. _Malfoy_." She spat the name distastefully. "Protect Scorpius? Protect him from what?"

James joined in, nodding. "From his mom! She's going to come and get him!" Ginny's brows furrowed deeply.

"Now, boys, I don't think –"

Scorpius took a step forward. "I don't want to go with my mother, Mrs. Potter," he said quietly, looking up at Ginny seriously. "She's going to take me without my father's permission. She wrote me telling me all about it." As much as Ginny hated everything Malfoy, there was something about the emotion flickering in the dark gray eyes that gave her pause. He was so serious, so very much a Malfoy, which she hated passionately for any number of reasons. Yet behind the cold exterior there was a frightened little boy that needed help.

"Ginevra."

Ginny looked up, torn from her thoughts by a new voice. Astoria stood not ten feet away, a cool smirk on her pale features. Her gaze quickly panned over their group, singling out Scorpius easily. "I see you found my son for me. How… thoughtful of you."

Scorpius instinctively took a step back, even as his pride kicked in and demanded he stand up to her. James and Albus leapt in before he could take back the minor retreat, blocking his body with their own, each equally determined to protect their blonde friend. "You can't take Scorpius!" warned Albus determinedly, a rare scowl marring his usually-cheerful features. "We won't let you!"

Astoria laughed; the sound was as cold and biting as ice. "Won't let me?" she echoed, "Oh, you're very much Potter children, aren't you? And Gryffindors too, I'd wager." Her brief amusement quickly faded. "Come now, Scorpius. I don't have time to waste here. We need to be going."

"Before Father figures out that you're here and stops you," Scorpius said darkly. He remained hidden behind the larger boys, though Albus was only slightly so. He had no intention of going anywhere near his mother.

"Ginevra, a little help, if you would," said Astoria, the briefest tinge of annoyance now coloring her words.

Ginny found herself hesitating, where ten minutes ago she would have shoved the boy into his mother's arms, no questions asked. "What exactly are you after here, Astoria? What do you expect to gain from this?"

Astoria's brows drew together. "What's mine, of course. I was supposed to take everything. But somehow, Draco managed to finagle it so that he came away with something after all. Scorpius is mine, and I'm here to claim him. He came from me." She fisted a hand and bumped it once against her breastbone. "What right did they have to decide I couldn't have him?"

Ginny opened her mouth, but nothing came out. She was shocked by the brutally honest answer. Selfish though she might be from time to time, Ginny loved her children dearly, and she wanted only the best for them. Astoria clearly saw Scorpius as an object, a toy which she had lost and wanted returned, even if she never intended to use it again. The realization made Astoria's assumption that she had an ally in the red-haired woman suddenly extremely incorrect.

Impatient, Astoria started forward, ready to snatch up her son and be on her way. James and Albus braced themselves, uncertain of what exactly to do against the older, more experienced witch. Ginny reached for her wand instinctively, closing her fingers around it. Astoria suddenly froze, looking just over Ginny's shoulder, and Ginny relaxed when she heard her husband's voice behind her. "Sorry we're so late." Harry rested a hand on her shoulder reassuringly as the four children flocked closer, already feeling infinitely safer. Lily clung to his leg while Albus and James still kept an eye on Scorpius, their bodies wedged around his, just in case.

Draco was right on his heels, murder in his eyes. He was between Astoria and the others in an instant, eyes flashing. "I warned you, Astoria," he growled. "You are never to lay even one bloody _finger_ on _my _son." Astoria's fingers curled into claws at her side, her expression one of pure hate.

"Scorpius is _my_ son!" she insisted, her voice moving toward shrill. "He belongs with me!" She lashed out, fingers curved to let her nails do maximum damage. Draco caught her wrist inches from his bared throat, his grip mercilessly tight. He squeezed until she gasped, practically feeling the bones in her wrist grinding together.

Draco yanked her a few steps closer, until they were nose to nose. "The next time you try to take Scorpius away from me, I'll hex first and ask questions later, consequences be damned." He shoved her back, taking a dark pleasure in watching her stumble, cradling her bruised wrist protectively. "Now get the bloody hell out of here," he snarled.

Astoria held her sore wrist close to her chest, scowling. "Get out of here while you still can, Astoria. The only one who's done any wrong here today is you," said Harry. Her gaze quickly flicked to him, and then back to Draco. Her eyes darkened, and Draco felt a sudden wave of apprehension. She knew him too well.

"So that's how the wind blows," she hissed. "Keeping an Auror in your pocket so you think you're above the law. And Head Auror, at that. Didn't think he'd swing that way just for –" Draco took a step forward threateningly, and Astoria Apparated away. She knew when she was out-matched and she didn't intend to linger and fight a losing battle.

With the threat dealt with, Scorpius stepped past a grinning Albus and James, saying softly, "Father." Draco looked up, having still been glaring intently at where Astoria had been standing. His expression softened immediately. Both of them moved, closing the short distance between them quickly, until Scorpius had his arms wrapped around his father's waist, clinging.

Draco dropped to one knee and held him close as Scorpius adjusted and wrapped his arms around his neck instead, whispering quietly into his ear, too soft for the others to hear. Scorpius pulled back and smiled, and Draco ran one hand lightly over his hair, murmuring something in response, before coming back to his feet. Scorpius pressed close to his side immediately.

Ginny watched the exchange quietly, still wrapping her mind around what had just happened. Astoria had seemed so normal, so reasonable, when they had met and talked over tea before. It had been so easy to cast Malfoy in the roll of the villain. But in this situation, clearly that wasn't at all the case. "It appears that thanks are in order," said Draco, resting a hand on Scorpius' shoulder. "Were you going to protect a Malfoy, Ginevra?"

Ginny felt herself flush a little. "I wasn't going to let Astoria snatch up a boy that clearly wanted nothing to do with her, son or not." Harry's hand tightened on her shoulder approvingly and then released. "I still hate you, Malfoy. But I don't intend to let yours sins ruin my son's friendship."

Malfoy arched a brow as the three children exchanged glances. Their summer plans were starting to look up already, and it was only Easter! "Funny that you'd feel that way, when it's the sins of _my_ father that make you truly hate the Malfoy name."

Ginny's eyes flashed. "You did enough wrong on your own, Malfoy."

Harry stepped between them quickly, easing Lily off his leg so he would be able to move. "All right, can't we end today on a good note? Please?" Draco and Ginny continued to stare at each other for another moment, and then Draco broke away from her stare and looked to Harry instead.

"I suppose," he said mildly. "As I was saying, thank you for protecting Scorpius until I could arrive." There was an awkward moment of silence. Realizing Ginny didn't intend to respond, Draco pressed onward, undaunted. "I'm sure we'll be seeing each other at some point this holiday. The boys will want to have some time together at some point." And Harry would need a shoulder to lean on after the impending divorce talk. "You know how to get in touch if you need me." Harry nodded, and Draco looked down at Scorpius. "Get your bags and lets go home."

Scorpius nodded and retrieved his things, but not before being squashed into a hug between James and Albus. "You should come to our house this time," said Albus happily. "Since we went over to yours for Christmas." James was quick to agree with him.

Scorpius nodded. Before, he might have questioned the decision, but after Mrs. Potter's behavior today…. "Either way is fine with me," he said mildly. Scorpius dragged his bags back over to his father, and after a few more goodbyes, the blondes went their separate way, and the Potters packed it in and headed home.

(_Time skip_)

It almost seemed like a crime to spoil the children's high spirits after their triumph against Astoria. But after dinner, it was agreed by both Harry and Ginny that it was only fair to address the issue now and get it over with. If they lingered too long it would only get increasingly awkward. True, it threatened to ruin the whole holiday, but it was a risk they would have to take. They were only getting more miserable being forced together like this. They needed to get apart before their former friendship was damaged beyond repair.

And so, they set the kids down on the couch together, each feeling a heavy guilt weighing down their stomachs as they sat down in front of them, looking decidedly nervous. "Listen," began Harry, "You know that your Mom and I have been fighting a lot lately." Three heads nodded simultaneously. "And it's not very fun to listen to, right?" Three more nods in unison. "Well, it's not very fun for us, either. So, your Mom and I have been talking, and…"

Harry trailed off, the words lodging in his throat. "We agree that it might be best if we get a divorce," said Ginny gently, picking up where he left off, though she too sounded as though she was struggling to get the words out.

There was silence as this was processed. "Divorced?" James was the first to speak. "What… Why would you think that would be for the best?"

Harry cleared his throat and shifted a little. But he knew there would be no getting comfortable for this conversation. "We just feel that we could do better – for you three and for ourselves – if we weren't together anymore."

"You guys do fight a lot," ventured Albus uncertainly, "But you always make up, too. Can't you just keep making up?"

Harry ran his hand through his hair guiltily, but Ginny spoke up before he had to worry about coming up with an explanation. "Albus, love, there's a difference between friends fighting and a mom and dad fighting. It's not always so easy to just make up."

Harry swallowed as he looked at Lily, who was still silent, and saw tears pooling in her eyes. "Lily, sweetheart," he said softly, regretfully. He never wanted to be the cause of his children's tears. He leaned forward and opened his arms and Lily crawled right off the couch and into his lap, throwing her arms tightly around his neck.

"Don't cry, Lily," he said soothingly, wrapping his arms around her. She buried her face in his neck, mumbling inaudibly. "What?" He gently tilted up her head enough that she could speak a little more clearly.

"Do we all still get to live together?"

Harry glanced at Ginny. "No, love, I'm going to go live somewhere else," said Ginny. "But you'll be able to come visit me whenever you want, all right?"

Lily rubbed her face against Harry's shirt as she shook her head no. Harry stroked her back soothingly, helpless in the face of his daughter's distress. Albus piped up again, still very, very quiet. "So, it's like how Mr. Malfoy and Astoria are, only we can come see you?" Ginny and Harry both nodded, and Albus fell silent again, contemplating this with a quiet sniffle.

"Mr. Malfoy and Astoria still fight now," pointed out James, frowning as he glanced pointedly away from them both, rubbing at his eyes surreptitiously to hide his tears. He wasn't some girl. He wasn't _crying_ or anything.

"Mr. Malfoy and Astoria have always fought," said Harry. "We're not like them. Your mom and I used to be really good friends. We're better as friends," he added, glancing at Ginny, and she nodded in agreement.

"We won't be like the Malfoys," said Ginny simply. Harry had to fight the urge to roll his eyes. He didn't want to be that way either, but Merlin forbid they were anything like the Malfoys. It would now be Ginny's mission in life to ensure that they were friends after the divorce. Lest they end up being like _Malfoys_.

James got up and locked himself in his room; he had heard enough and he was done listening to the excuses behind the decision. He kicked at his bedpost a few times, which only succeeded in making his foot sore and didn't accomplish much else, but it made him feel just a little better. It wasn't like he could go out there and kick at his parents, after all.

Albus was torn between a deep-seated desire to crawl into Ginny's lap like Lily had Harry's and just cling like a child, and storming off to his room as James had. He was caught at an age that made either option viable, and yet he just continued to sit on the couch, trying to wrap his mind around what they had just been told. _A divorce… My mom and dad are getting a divorce… Just like Scorpius' dad… _

Eventually, after sitting in silence for a time, Ginny got up and kissed Albus on the forehead, promising him that everything was going to work out. Then she did the same for Lily, who fussed briefly as she resisted lifting her head out of Harry's neck. Harry was wrapped for as long as Lily intended to continue clinging to him, but he could hear Ginny knocking on James' door, murmuring to him softly, urging him to open the door and let her in.

James ignored her, and eventually Albus got up and went to his room, without the locked door, and Harry carried Lily to bed. She whined and clung like an octopus, tangling her fingers in his clothes and her legs around his waist. Eventually he got her off his back and settled into bed, kissing her forehead. "Everything's going to be okay, you'll see," he promised her, and then he wished her good night and left here there, rubbing at the back of his neck.

Ginny was already shut away in her bedroom when he came out. Harry leaned against the doorway and closed his eyes. Why did everything have to be so complicated? "Are you going anywhere tonight?" he asked, voice low.

"It's your night," said Ginny softly. She sounded as if she were leaning up against the door as well. Harry wanted to bash his head against the barrier.

"We're doing the right thing," he said, just needing to hear it confirmed from her. That they weren't making a bad decision in doing this and upsetting their children.

"We can't keep living like this, Harry. It's not fair to anyone."

Harry nodded, shutting his eyes for just a moment. "…I'll be back later." Ginny hummed her agreement quietly and Harry stepped away from her door. He headed back into the sitting room and stared at the empty couch for a long moment, and then he Apparated to Draco's door.

The door was opened before he had time to finish knocking. Draco stood there in his usual casual attire, almost as if he had been waiting for him. "Scorpius is asleep," he said quietly, and drew back to let Harry enter.

"I almost forgot he was here," admitted Harry roughly, stepping inside.

Draco shut the door behind him and brushed a hand lightly down his back, hoping to soothe him. He pressed lightly at the small of Harry's back, urging him forward into the sitting room to relax on the couch. "I'll be right back," said Draco, brushing his fingers through his dark hair so briefly that Harry actually wondered if he'd only imagined it.

Draco stepped into the kitchen and sighed. The devastation in the brunette's eyes was easy to see. _Poor thing_, he thought, without malice. This divorce was tearing him up even though he wanted it more than anything. And he hated seeing Harry so upset, even though _he_, Draco, wanted it more than anything, as well.

Draco fixed up tea instead of their usual nightcap and brought two cups into the other room. "So, I take it that the children didn't take the news very well," said Draco calmly, settling himself down next to Harry.

"Lily was a mess," said Harry hoarsely. "She was crying and clinging to me. She didn't want to go to bed. Merlin, and James." Harry ignored his tea, preferring to simply stare off into space. "He just got up and walked out. He refuses to talk to either of us. He's so angry about it. Albus was quiet the whole time. He didn't act angry or sad. Just… quiet. I almost wish he had done one or the other. I could have handled that better, I think."

Malfoy nodded, leaning back with one arm across the back of the couch. "They'll seek comfort in others as you have me. I wouldn't be surprised if Albus writes to Scorpius, unless he decides to just wait and talk it out when they have their visit."

Harry nodded, still looking miserable. They sat in silence for a while, as the cooling tea sat in front of them on the table, already forgotten. Harry eventually ended up leaning against Draco, his head on his shoulder, his body sprawled between Draco's spread legs. Gentle fingers scraped across his scalp through his hair, soothing him. There was nothing sexual in it, just the most basic comfort of another's warmth and calming touch.

Harry shut his eyes, finally relaxing after nearly an hour frozen in the same position. He wasn't sure when he dozed off, but he remembered being awoken vividly. The gentle stroking of his hair ended, and a kiss was pressed to the top of his head. "I love you," whispered someone, that same breathy voice that always seemed to come to him while he slept.

When he awoke, he was alone on the couch, a blanket pulled over him and a pillow under his head. His shoes had been taken off, as had his glasses. Fumbling, Harry pulled himself up onto his elbow and put them back on, glancing around to find the time. It was after midnight. Harry sat up, untangling his legs from the blanket, and blinked. Draco lay sprawled in one of the chairs opposite the couch, looking extremely uncomfortable. His blonde hair hung in his eyes, his legs were stretched out in front of him, his back arched and his neck cricked. All in all he looked positively miserable.

Harry got to his feet and slipped back into his shoes. He folded up the blanket, knowing Draco's penchant for neatness, and then crept over to the chair and cautiously lifted the blonde into his arms. Draco curled toward him immediately but did not wake up. Harry smiled slightly and carried him down the hall to his bedroom, making sure to be extra quiet as he snuck past Scorpius' bedroom. Merlin knew he didn't need to try to explain himself to Malfoy's kid after dealing with his own, in his own opinion, so poorly.

Harry deposited Draco into his bed gently, dragging the sheet to his chest. He stood there, staring down at him for a long moment, briefly engaged in an internal battle. Then he leaned forward and kissed his forehead. "See you," was all he said, drawing away.

Draco twisted and buried his face in his pillow, mumbling quietly, "…Love you."

Harry froze, then remembered Draco's story about the person he loved but could never have. Something inside him rose up and snarled at the very idea, but he quickly buried that part deep inside himself, as he always did whenever he sensed it. Harry left the bedroom and shut the door softly behind himself, then Apparated home.

He didn't sleep half so well in his own bed as he did on Draco's couch.

_(Another chapter for my lovely readers. ^^ I think I did a good job balancing out the AxS and the JxS for this chapter. No playing favorites while voting is going on, and all that. I feel like this could have been better, but I think my muse is tuckered out, so we're going to keep it as it is. I hope everyone enjoys! Be sure to review and vote, lovely readers. Hearing from you brings a smile to my face even as the long night shifts at work keep my brain thoroughly fried. . )_


	18. Chapter 18

_(D'awwwwwwwwwwwww, all my lovely readers were so amazing last chapter! I was blushing after some of my reviews, so flattering! ^^ I'm also very happy that everyone seemed pleased with Ginny's turn-around, and with the Drarry fluff.  
Be aware, lovely readers, the poll will be closed when I post the epilogue, and the pairing that will be in the sequel will be revealed there. It's not quite that time yet, but we're getting there, so I thought I'd warn the general public._

_As of 11:02 am, 7/3/2011, since the poll is broken, my personal poll stands at:  
AlbusxScorpius – 13  
JamesxScorpius – 15  
Lilyx? – 1  
ScorpiusxRose – 1  
Jamesx? (Possibly Teddy) – 2_

_It's still anybody's game, lovely readers, but I'm starting to lock in a decision, so make sure you get your vote and your opinion in before time's up! I hope everyone enjoys this next chapter, be sure to REVIEW AND VOTE! :D )_

"Father?"

Draco glanced up from his desk, quickly rearranging his papers so that the letter he had been writing was concealed. "Yes, Scorpius?"

The younger blonde entered the room rather hesitantly, lingering close to the doorway, which was just a bit unusual for him. Normally he came right in and sat on the edge of the bed by the desk. "Do you think we could go see Albus today? The mail's just come in and Albus wrote to me, and…" He shuffled, obviously a little nervous. The soft crinkle of parchment behind his back had Draco softening immediately.

"Of course. I'll contact Mr. Potter as soon as I finish up here and we'll see about going over for a little while for a visit." Scorpius nodded with a faint smile, and Draco turned back to his desk and, more importantly, his letter. After a moment he glanced back up and saw that Scorpius was still at his door. "Was there something else?"

Scorpius nodded, but merely twisted his hands behind his back and remained silent. Draco slid his chair back and got up, feeling the beginnings of concern stir. "Is something the matter?" he pressed, crossing the room to crouch in front of him, studying his son's face.

Scorpius quickly shook his head. "No, sir," he said swiftly. "I was only…" He bit his lip, hesitant. "I got up for a bit of water last night."

Draco stiffened immediately. Scorpius had been raised with the understanding that, aside from his father's room, he could go anywhere he liked within their home in the middle of the night if he was feeling restless. Plenty of sleepless night ventures at the Manor as a child, before the Death Eaters had moved in, had been cut short by an irate Lucius complaining about the unsuitability of his wakefulness at such ungodly hours, and too many long nights of staring at his own ceiling had ensured that Scorpius was given almost total freedom in that respect. It had never occurred to him last night after inviting Harry in that it might have been a night for Scorpius to be up and about.

"Did you, now?" asked Draco, striving for calm.

Scorpius nodded. "Yes, Father. And… I was only wondering… what Mr. Potter was doing on our couch… with you."

Draco tilted his head down and rubbed at his eyes for a moment. Of course, he had passed through at the absolute worst time, while they had been dozing on the couch together in their own little world, oblivious to the quiet sneaking of his son through the house to get some water from the kitchen. It was a little difficult to simply explain away.

"Scorpius," he began quietly, "Do you remember what we talked about, shortly after your mother and I divorced?"

Scorpius thought for a moment, considering things they had discussed in that time in context with what they were discussing. "You mean how sometimes a man can love another man in the same way as he loves a woman he wants to marry, and that there's nothing wrong with it even though a lot of people use it as an insult."

Draco nodded. "Exactly. I'm going to tell you a very important secret." He leaned a little closer, and Scorpius watched him expectantly, curious. "Mr. Potter came last night because he was very upset. He and Mrs. Potter are getting a divorce, and Albus and Lily and James are very upset about it, which is probably why Albus wrote to you wanting you to visit so soon." Scorpius looked surprised, but not shocked. He had been through divorce himself with his own parents, after all. "Now, the secret is that I love Mr. Potter very much. Like a woman you want to marry."

Scorpius nodded, as if he had guessed it halfway through the conversation. "Does Mr. Potter love you back?"

"I… I'd like to believe so," said Draco, "But that's why this is a secret. You can't tell anyone. Not Albus, not James, not anyone at all." Scorpius nodded again, understanding completely. It would be their secret.

"I promise, Father. I won't tell anyone." Draco smiled, relaxing, and drew him into a tight hug. Scorpius wrapped his arms around him and clung. After a moment, they pulled back and Draco ruffled his hair lightly.

"Now, why don't you go get ready, and I'll finish up here and contact Mr. Potter about going over for a visit today? I'm sure they could all use our company."

Scorpius smiled and nodded. "Yes, Father." He turned to go, but paused in the doorway. "…I hope that Mr. Potter loves you back." And then he was gone.

Draco sank back onto the floor and ran his fingers through his hair shakily. He was going to have to be more careful after this. One wrong move, and now Scorpius knew all about their situation. Another slip-up like that could be disastrous if the wrong person managed to piece it all together. With a sigh, Draco got to his feet and returned to his desk. He shuffled his papers, bringing the unfinished letter to the surface.

_Dear Gilbert…_

_(Time skip)_

It was decided that they would use the Floo to visit the Potter home after a short conversation with Harry. Ginny was gone to her mother's for the day to break the news of the divorce, and Harry was home with the children. It was a perfect opportunity to go over with little tension outside of the obvious. Draco sent Scorpius through first, and then followed behind, brushing himself off as he stepped out of the fireplace.

Albus had Scorpius by the hand, already dragging him away to his room so they could talk in relative privacy. James was nowhere in sight, and Lily was fast asleep on the couch, curled up under a blanket. Harry was sitting in a chair to one side, looking exhausted. Draco glanced around, making sure the room was clear of children (conscious ones, anyway) and then crossed to the chair and leaned in close to ensure their conversation was as private as possible. "Rough night, I assume," he murmured, wondering if his concern was as well-masked as he intended.

Harry sighed and rubbed his eyes. "Lily was up and down all night. James still hasn't come out of his room since we broke the news that I know of. Albus has been too quiet." He looked up at Draco, aching and vulnerable. "Are we making the right decision?" he asked weakly. "Is it worth it if it's going to cause all of this?"

Draco perched himself on the arm of the chair and allowed himself a moment of weakness to run his fingers through the dark nest of hair in front of him. When Harry seemed to relax slightly at the touch, he did it again, justifying it because it was helping Harry, completely ignoring the selfish part of himself that enjoyed it regardless. "Of course you're making the right decision, Harry," he said firmly. "It's no more right for you and Ginny to be forced together than it is to make the children live with it. They'll recover when they see that this changes things for the better."

Harry closed his eyes as Draco continued his stroking, reassured by his words, and was soon lulled to sleep. Aside from the few hours he had gotten on Draco's couch, he hadn't slept well at all, and it was easy to succumb to the draw of a peaceful slumber with Draco there to ease him.

Draco allowed himself to linger there even after he knew Harry was out, indulging himself by continuing to stroke the soft, shaggy hair that had taunted him for so long. He wanted to bury his face in it and cling, but he acknowledged it as a foolish fantasy that he would never act upon and contented himself with teasing the dark locks this way and that with each gentle brush of his fingers while keeping an ear out for anyone that might stumble across them and get the wrong, or this case right, ideas about what was between them.

Down the hallway, Albus was explaining the whole thing to Scorpius, who listened quietly while his friend vented. "I mean, they always fought a lot, but they always made up, too! As long as you always make up, it should be okay if you have to fight sometimes, right? You and James fought and now you're friends again…"

Albus was sprawled across his bed, frowning at the ceiling. Scorpius sat on the edge beside him. "My parents always used to fight when they were together," pointed out Scorpius. "But they always fought, ever since I was a baby. Your parents used to be friends, but now they fight a lot. Maybe they won't fight after they aren't together anymore."

Albus rubbed at his eyes. "Yeah, that's what Dad said last night…" he admitted. "…Scor, I don't want my mom to move out."

Scorpius nodded and scooted closer, putting a hand on his back to comfort him. "Because she's still nice to you, right?" Albus nodded. "If your parents can be friends again, you can see her all the time because they'll like to spend time together. Just not like a husband and wife."

Albus sniffed and sat up. Scorpius' hand on his back was warm and it made him feel better, rubbing soothing circles into his spine. "But what about when he finds a new wife? I don't want a different mom, I want _my_ mom."

Scorpius stiffened slightly, glancing away. The rubbing stopped, but the hand remained. _Father said it was a secret, don't tell Albus…_ "…What if he doesn't find a new wife?"

Albus blinked and glanced at him, curious. "What do you mean? Like, he might just not have a wife ever again? That'd be kinda lonely, don't you think?"

Scorpius exhaled hard and glanced away. "Nothing. Forget it."

Albus' eyes widened and he threw himself across Scorpius' lap, trying to meet his gaze. "Scorpius," he whined, drawing out the vowels in what he hoped was a convincing manner. Scorpius continued to stare at the opposite wall, determined. "Scorpius, come on! Please? What did you mean? I won't tell anyone if it's a secret! You know you can trust me!"

Scorpius finally glanced down at him. _And my father should be able to trust me._ But… This was Albus. His closest friend. There was no one, aside from his father, that he was closer to. If he couldn't tell _Albus_ something… Well, it just didn't sit well with him. "…You have to swear not to tell anyone," said Scorpius in a low voice. "Not a single bloody soul."

Albus sat up, sensing the seriousness of the situation. "Yeah, Scor, you know me. I wouldn't tell anyone. We're _best_ friends."

Scorpius nodded. He bit his lip. "…Has your father ever talked to you about… marriage and relationships and things like that?"

Albus thought for a moment. "Kind of. He talked about dating mom, and about how Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione got married… He said it's very important that you only marry someone if you think you really love them. A husband and wife are the closest people in the world. Closer than brothers or parents or anything."

Scorpius briefly ran his fingers through his hair, and then fixed it back where it stood up from the gesture. Nervously, he glanced away again. "…Did he ever talk about if a man… loved another man? Like a wife?"

Albus blinked. "What?"

Scorpius' face turned red and he started to get up, but Albus grabbed his arm. "Let go, forget it, I never should have…"

"Wait, Scor, wait! Seriously, where'd you hear that?" Albus looked up at him, wide-eyed with curiosity but not disgust. Scorpius slowly sank back onto the bed, feeling oddly defensive. This was his father they were discussing in a roundabout manner, though, so he supposed it did make some sense that he was protective.

"…My father said sometimes a man can love another man, the same way that a man loves his wife, like romantically. And he says he knows it's true, because he does. Love a man, that is. But it's a big secret; I wasn't supposed to tell you. He told me specifically not to tell you." Scorpius frowned deeply, worrying at his lip with his teeth until Albus was sure it would bleed. "He's going to be so upset if he were to ever find out that I told you…"

"Told you what?"

Both boys jumped at the sudden voice joining their conversation, but it was only James, shutting the door behind him and coming to join them on the bed. Scorpius was now sandwiched between the two boys and the wall, Albus' head on his lap, James' shoulder bumping against his own. "Scor was telling me how we can still see Mom a lot after the divorce because she and Dad will be friends again, not still fighting like Mr. Malfoy and Astoria."

James frowned. "They shouldn't be getting a divorce. They've been fighting, but they've done that for years and they always make up. They just need to make up again like always and things can keep going like they always have."

Scorpius found himself incapable of holding back a response. "But they're miserable."

James' eyes cut to his. "But they're _together_."

Albus held up a hand. "Mom and Dad said they're getting the divorce, James. So we can't stop them. Even if it's the stupidest thing they've ever done."

_If Mr. Potter loves my father back, separating will be the smartest thing they've ever done_. But this time, Scorpius kept his mouth shut.

_(Time skip)_

Harry woke up feeling refreshed and in a much better mood. By then, several hours had passed and Draco was reclining on the couch, reading. Lily had already woken up and run back to join her siblings and Scorpius. It was relatively quiet, but there was enough noise of talking and moving from the bedroom to reassure him that all was well.

Harry kept his eyes half-shut, peering out from underneath his lashes at the blonde lying on his back, one arm pillowing his head, one leg stretched out straight while the other was bent at the knee as his eyes flitted back and forth, taking in the material on the page in front of him. The overall domestic feel of the situation took Harry aback. It seemed perfectly natural to laze away an afternoon with Draco and the children. Almost as if they were a couple, parents together rather than two fathers to two separate families.

It was a ridiculous idea, of course. Draco already had someone that he loved. He didn't intend to become another Gilbert, pining for Draco while the blonde pined for… for… well, for whoever the bloody hell it was that had stolen his heart. To carry a torch for the bloke for all this time, even while trying to forget about it with other men, decent men, had to be… agonizing.

Devoted.

What would it be like to have that kind of devotion from someone?

Harry opened his eyes and sat up, and Draco glanced around his book at him, raising his eyebrows. "Well, hello there, sleeping beauty. I took care of lunch for the children while you were sleeping. They seem to be feeling much better at the moment. Lily woke up and joined the boys in Albus' bedroom, and the She-Weasel still isn't home."

That image of domestic bliss returned in full force, and Harry had to shake himself mentally to dismiss it. Nevermind that the image of Draco in his kitchen, fixing a meal for the four kids, was… intriguing. "Even James?" asked Harry, pushing up his glasses to rub at his eyes.

"James was a bit subdued," admitted Draco with a nod, forcing his gaze back to his book, "But he was responding more so than you described before. As I told you before, they'll recover with time. It's no doubt a shock to them, but by the time it's over, they'll have adapted to the idea far better than they are currently."

Harry nodded, looking toward the hall where he could hear the kids laughing. He got up, and Draco glanced back at him, lowering his book slightly. Harry leaned down, smiled slightly, and kissed him briefly. "Thanks," he said simply, and watched with fascination as several emotions flickered in quick succession across the blonde's face, too quickly to discern them all, before he settled for faint amusement.

"For taking over your kitchen to make sure my child was fed, and taking care of yours as well? I'm surprised that you didn't think I would." But Harry wasn't at all fooled, and Draco knew very well that he wasn't.

"For that," Harry agreed, chuckling softly, "And for everything else."

Draco sat up slightly, and Harry eased back so that the blonde could swing his feet over the edge of the couch and stand up, tucking his book under his arm. The sudden urge to leave had overtaken him, and it would not be ignored. It was getting harder and harder to remember that this thing with Harry was only an experiment for the brunette, not a permanent arrangement. He was so naturally gentle whenever they were together like this, he behaved almost as if they were dating, rather than using one another for sex. It was driving Draco crazy.

"Now that you're up, we really should be going. I don't want to be here when the She-Weasel arrives. I've already had my fill for the week, if it's all the same to you." Harry felt a wave of disappointment wash through him. He had hardly spent more than ten minutes with the blonde during the entire visit. He had been too busy sleeping.

Draco seemed to sense his let-down, and was quick to reassure him with a sly grin. "I'm sure the children would love to have another opportunity to get together before they're sent back to Hogwarts. You're welcome to drop by whenever you're free." _Bloody hell._

Harry wondered if it would be considered unseemly to show up the very next day. Draco winked, almost as if reading his mind, and Harry gave him a shove, face beginning to flush with embarrassment, before he went with Draco to fetch Scorpius, loathe though they might all six of them be to cut the visit short so soon.

_(Time skip)_

"Dad?"

Harry paused in the doorway to Albus' room, halted by the meek call from the bed. Harry nudged open the door and stepped inside, sitting on the edge so that he could see his son's face in the darkness. "What is it, Albus?" he asked, faintly concerned for a moment by the hesitance in the single word that had been uttered.

"…Scorpius and I were talking today… about the divorce and all." Albus tugged his blankets a little tighter around himself. "He said that if you and Mom can be friends again, like you said, then we can still see Mom a lot because you won't be fighting anymore, even though she's not living with us." Harry sighed and stroked his hair soothingly.

"Of course you can still see your mom, Albus, any time you want. Just because we don't love each other the same way anymore, doesn't mean we don't both still love you three the same." Albus nibbled on his lower lip for a moment.

"So… you don't love Mom like a wife anymore."

Harry hesitated. "That's… one way to put it, yes. I still love her, Albus, just not the same way. And she feels the same about me."

Albus nodded. "So… do you love someone else the same way you used to love Mom? You know, like a wife?"

An image of Draco arching up beneath him, calling his name, shot through Harry like a lightning bolt, but he quickly controlled the image and banished it before it could become a problem. "Not… exactly," said Harry cautiously.

"…Scorpius said his dad told him a secret. About relationships and stuff." Harry blinked in surprise. A relationship secret?

"What was it?" asked Harry, suddenly desperate to know what sort of things Draco had to say when Harry wasn't around. _Especially_ about 'relationships and stuff'.

Albus hesitated for a moment, then blurted, "Scor said that his dad said that sometimes men can love other men just like a wife, and he knows it's the truth 'cause his dad does. Love a man, I mean. But you can't say anything," he added quickly. "It's a _big_ secret."

Harry swallowed. His mouth suddenly felt dry. "Did he say _who_ his dad was in love with?"

Albus shook his head. "No, but he said it was a big secret, and his dad would be furious if he said anything. So is that true? I know that sometimes the bullies at school called Scorpius a _ponce_," he whispered the word, in case it was a swear that he wasn't technically allowed to say, "and it's supposed to mean something like that, but I thought they were just being mean. Do men really fall in love with each other, romantically?"

"_Salazar, what's with this sudden interest in my love life, Potter? Are you checking out your competition?"_

"_You're fit enough, and even gay men have the right to a fantasy, don't they?"_

"_And if you two separate, you can have the chance to find true happiness somewhere else. With some_one_ else."_

"_I did not agree to become your dirty little secret."_

"_Because if you're going to be with me, you're going to be thinking only of me. No one else."_

"_Faster… Salazar, Harry, _please_…!"_

"_I love you…"_

Harry blinked. Albus was staring at him expectantly, still waiting for his answer. Harry smiled, and leaned forward to ruffle his hair. "Yes, Albus. It's absolutely possible for two men to fall in love. And it's no less meaningful than when it's a man and a woman." Albus nodded, content with this, and Harry murmured a final good night to him before getting up and shutting the door gently behind him. His heart was racing, trying to burst clear out of his chest.

He was in love with Draco Malfoy.

It was far, far too late to stop himself, to escape from the same trap that Gilbert had gotten himself into. Somewhere between the impromptu friendship, the unexpected flirting, and the fiercely physical relationship they'd only recently developed, Harry had lost his heart to the cold-faced blonde with the expressive silver eyes.

There was only one thing to do, obviously. Ginny was already in bed for the night, emotionally drained from dealing with her mother. The children were all tucked away. Without hesitation, Harry heading for the sitting room and rekindled the fire. He grabbed a handful of Floo powder and tossed it into the hearth.

Harry wasn't going to let what happened to Gilbert happen to him. He was going to confront Draco, face to face, and lay himself bare. And if Draco couldn't respond with like feelings or, at the very least, a confession as to who it was that held his heart so that Harry could help him to move on, Harry was going to cut all romantic ties and get out before he got any deeper. Not that there was much deeper he could go, he reflected.

But before he could go into any of that, he had to let the blonde know. And so, without a thought, he stepped into the flames and was whisked off to the Malfoy home.

_(Lovely readers! I got so many reviews, my muse was set ablaze and I managed to pull together another chapter, and so quickly! And look, so much plot and fluff and angsty-fluff and LOVE, my lovely readers! I hope that everyone enjoys this chapter, it was a struggle to write, yet at the same time it came to me so quickly that I had no choice but to let it flow as wildly as it pleased. My next update will be delayed. My poor lappy must go _back_ to the shop, hopefully for no more than four or five days this time, to fix a few more things. So I will be limited to what little I can manage from my phone until it returns. But I hope this appeases you until I am able to write the next chapter, which sounds very promising, yes? ^^ Make sure to review and vote, my lovely readers. You've seen what power your encouraging words have over me; use them to your advantage! :D ) _


	19. Chapter 19

_(Ah, it's so nice to be typing again, lovely readers. ^^ My poor lappy is still in the shop, however, which brings me great sadness. I'm updating to you tonight from the family pc, which I am borrowing since I'm home for the summer and, for once, nobody else is on it, lol. I've been scribbling dozens of pages of ideas over the past week, but my muse is displeased with the alternate channel and refuses to cooperate. So here I am, at midnight, taking this one chance to try to write all 4000+ words of this next chapter in a single bound just for all my lovely, lovely readers. I know I haven't responded to any of the wonderful reviews I received as I normally do, but that too is due to the sick lappy.  
Since I am on the family computer, I can't do my personal poll. However, I promise that it will return next update. ^^ From what I've seen they should still be fairly close, though I think AxS might have snuck back into the lead. We'll have to see once I can tally properly from the comfort of my beloved lappy.  
Until then, I hope my lovely readers enjoy, and be sure to review and vote! :D )_

As soon as Harry took in the dark interior of the Malfoy home, he realized that it was very likely that both its occupants were already fast asleep, since they had no reason to expect a visitor at this time of night. Regardless, Harry pressed onward toward the unlit hallway. He knew that if he tried to turn back now he would only lose his nerve and make this a lot more difficult in the long run.

To his surprise, and then delight, he realized that there was a faint light emanating from the doorway to Draco's bedroom. There was a chance that the blonde was still awake after all! Pleased with his luck, Harry quickly crept toward it, still striving not to wake up Scorpius. He halted in front of the closed portal, placing his hand on the knob to enter, when he paused, realizing that he could hear voices within. Two different ones, which meant Draco was not alone.

To Harry's dismay, he realized that the second voice was Gilbert.

Fighting back the jealous rage that he was no longer ashamed to identify, Harry pressed his ear to the door, hoping to better understand the conversation within.

"...never be able to repay you, Draco!" Gilbert said joyfully, his excited tone barely restrained to an acceptable level. "You're a wonder, really you are. It's hard to believe you could ever be capable of all the horrible things people accuse you of."

Harry heard Draco chuckle softly, and soft footsteps ended in the quiet creaking of the mattress. Harry's fingers curled tightly around the doorknob until his knuckles turned white. A second set of footsteps, meaning that only one of them was on the bed, helped him to relax slightly. Draco's words, however, did not. "It's no trouble, really. I feel I owe it to you at this point. I'm surprised to say I've grown rather fond of you after all this time."

Gilbert laughed. "It won't hurt you to say it, Draco. Watch: 'I love you'."

Harry could almost picture Draco's playfully wrinkled nose as he responded, "Looks rather painful to me."

The sound of footsteps once again ended in the soft squeak of the bed, and Harry pressed closer to the door, as if he could somehow stop what he knew was going to happen. His heart sank and began to throb painfully in his chest.

"...I suppose I do love you, Gil," admitted that painfully familiar voice thoughtfully. "Salazar knows why."

Gilbert gave a joyful cry and there was a loud, clumsy burst of creaking as the two men on the bed moved both quickly and suddenly, the sound knifing through Harry with agonizing precision. He made a choked sound and the squeaking stopped. Footsteps broke into his thoughts, and he realized that he didn't have the strength, the courage, that he'd originally thought. Without a second's hesitation, he turned and fled.

He could hear Draco behind him, hissing his name. He felt fingertips brush his sleeve and he put on a desperate burst of speed that put him out of the blonde's reach. Harry grabbed at the Floo powder and made to throw it into the flames, glancing over his shoulder. Green eyes met gray for a moment, but the emotion conveyed in that brief instant had Draco skidding to a halt.

"Harry," he pleaded, taking another step forward. Harry paused, his heart aching. Then Gilbert appeared over his shoulder, hair mussed and face red. Harry's eyes hardened, as did his heart, and he threw the powder, sending oddly-colored shadows dancing across their faces in the otherwise dark room.

"Don't follow me," he said shortly, his tone brooking no argument or apology, and then he stepped into the flames and was whisked back off to his own home, where he intended to stay for the remainder of the night.

Draco was, to say the least, quite inconsolable. Gilbert, flustered and upset by the blonde's obvious agony after he had arrived bearing news meant to bring excitement, ended up forcing a sleeping draught down his throat just to get him to settle down. The emotional episode was hardly silent, however, and just as Gilbert managed to get Draco to lie down, Scorpius appeared in the doorway, rubbing one eye but clearly alert enough to have the foresight to grab his wand.

"Who are you?" he asked, blatantly ignoring the rules about underage spell-casting as he lowered his hand and blinked twice to bring Gilbert – and Draco – into focus. "And what did you do to my father?"

Gilbert rubbed the bridge of his nose. "My name is Gilbert," he said, raising his hands to let Scorpius see that he was wandless. "I'm a friend of your father. I came to give him some good news, but I didn't even think about the late hour. I was just about to leave." Scorpius eyed him suspiciously. Gilbert took a step away from the bed and couldn't help but think – just a little sadly – that he was so very much like his father.

"You can ask your father about me in the morning, okay? I promise, I won't be back tonight. You can walk me to the door and watch me leave. You know your father has wards against people Apparating in and out of the house." The offer seemed reasonable to Scorpius, and he nodded, though he kept his wand up. Merlin knew what he intended to do if Gilbert had intended to do any real harm.

Gilbert allowed himself to be escorted from the house at wand point by the eleven year old, and when the door shut and firmly locked at his back, he Apparated home. He was going to need to get some sleep if he was going to be able to help Draco set things right tomorrow.

_(Time skip)_

Harry almost didn't bother going to work the next morning. However, he refused to let Draco think that he had any power over him. There was no reason for Draco to find out that he, Harry, was in love with him. It was clear that Gilbert had finally succeeded in getting what he wanted from the former Slytherin, and it would do him no good to confess at this point. Draco already had someone else to love.

The problem was that Draco didn't show up for work, which in and of itself was peculiar to say the least. He knew Draco didn't like to miss work. He hardly took the much-needed sick days when he was injured after a job. To take one unexpectedly like this, when he was clearly not unwell, was absolutely out of character. But Harry was trying to pretend that it didn't bother him, not knowing where the blonde was or whether he was all right.

His work barely held his interest as the hours slowly passed. When he heard a knock at his office door, he was nearly relieved until he realized just who it was. "Hello, Auror Potter," said Gilbert pleasantly. He stepped into the room before Harry could deny him entrance, shutting the door behind him. He watched, apparently fascinated, as Harry's knuckles turned white where he gripped the edge of his desk.

"Why are you here?" he demanded, brows furrowing with anger. "To gloat?"

"Well, yes," said Gilbert with a nod, seating himself in the chair across the desk from the furious brunette. "But also to talk to you about last night." He smiled slightly as Harry's anger morphed into confusion. "I don't know how much you overheard, Harry – may I call you Harry? Auror Potter seems so formal – But I can assure you that you were overreacting. If you had stayed, we could have avoided all this emotional hassle."

Harry's teeth clenched. "He said he _loved_ you," he gritted out. "That was all I needed to hear."

Gilbert nodded understandingly, his smile slightly sad. "The only problem is that he doesn't love me the same way that I love him. He's my friend, and we were lovers. But we were never both in love. Even though I tried everything but a love potion to convince him to return my feelings."

He could tell that Harry was getting frustrated – he wanted to be reassured, but it wasn't going to be that easy.

"Harry, I've been in Austria for the past few weeks. Oh, it's such an amazing country! You should go and visit it sometime. Vienna is simply stunning! The people, the culture – I might even move there for good some day. It might help to get out of London for a while." He smiled deviously and leaned closer. "And between you and me, a little birdie back in Austria told me that there'd be a roof waiting for me should I ever return. He's simply the best pianist I've ever heard. Just the right sort of therapy after a hard break-up, don't you know." He winked, and Harry blinked, now thoroughly confused.

"But what were... If you... What about...?" Harry stammered, struggling to gather his thoughts and make sense out of everything that Gilbert was telling him.

"Draco is the one that bought me the portkey that got me to Austria. I came by last night to thank him for giving me the opportunity. When I told him I wanted to move there one day to be with Roddy – that's his name, the pianist. Well, it's Roderich, but I like Roddy better – he said that he would buy me another when I was ready to go. The last portkey was an early birthday gift. He said the next one would be Christmas." Gilbert nodded as realization began to dawn in Harry's eyes. Realization and hope.

"Even with his money situation, he..." Harry trailed off, and Gilbert nodded again. "So you weren't... He really doesn't love you like that."

Gilbert rested his chin on his palm, smirking at Harry across the desk. "Draco _is_ in love with someone, but it's definitely not me. I was just trying to get him to practice saying it last night. He's wanted this man for a very, very long time, and I'm here to make sure that he finally gets what he wants."

Harry reared back, offended. "I wouldn't stop Draco from being with who he loves, even if...!" He quickly flushed and bit his tongue, realizing what he had nearly – practically – admitted to.

Gilbert's expression didn't change. He watched as those eyes – _those bloody green eyes that Draco always obsessed over_ – darkened with calculation, and then grew wide and bright with realization.

"...Me?"

Gilbert smiled, and got to his feet. "I think you can handle the rest of this on your own. I'll be at home, I wanted to write to my Roddy and let him know that I'll be moving in just as soon as I can arrange it." He winked. "Good luck, Auror Potter. I expect to hear some happy news from you two very, very soon."

The cheery brunette strolled out of the office, leaving a shell-shocked Auror behind. Harry just stared at the space where the other man had been, mystified by the idea that had suddenly leapt to the fore of his mind.

"...Me?"

_(Time skip)_

By the time Harry could slip away from work, he was nearly frantic. He took his lunch as early as possible, and barely remembered to ask Ron if he could inform their boss that he might be back late, something had come up with a case. Ron agreed, but didn't get the chance to press for details before Harry was gone, his mind already several steps ahead of his body as he rushed toward the lift and took the familiar route to Draco's house.

There was no reason for Gilbert to lie to him, was there? What could he possibly get from it aside from further agony for Harry? He didn't seem the type to get off on that sort of thing, but then again it was always difficult to tell with some people. Regardless, it wouldn't do too much more damage to risk trusting the other bloke just this once and rushing to Draco's side to see if he could confirm what Gilbert had said and, more importantly, what he had implied.

He Apparated to the blonde's front door and wasted no time before knocking quickly. Scorpius answered it, looking wary and then surprised. "Mr. Potter?" he asked, straightening his spine, eyes clearing as he took on the overly-polite tone that he had come to expect when interacting with his sons' friend. "What are you doing here?"

Harry opened his mouth without the faintest idea of what he was going to say, and the words came tumbling out. "I need to speak to your father. It's urgent."

Scorpius nodded, brow furrowing slightly, and stepped back to let him in. "Father's been rather unwell today. He called in sick to work. I hope you can help him to feel better." Harry stepped in, and the door shut quietly behind him.

"I'll see what I can do," promised Harry, and Scorpius smiled slightly, apparently pleased with his answer.

"Do you love my father, Mr. Potter?"

Harry stopped, startled. Those young gray eyes seemed to pierce his soul, waiting for his answer. A bead of sweat suddenly made its way down his spine. Of all things, he hadn't expected to have to answer to the son of the man that he had fallen in love with so soon after making the realization. "...Yes. Does that bother you?"

Scorpius relaxed, and smiled fully for the first time that Harry could remember seeing. "No." With that, he turned and disappeared into the hallway, slipping into his bedroom and quietly shutting the door. It seemed to be the equivalent of receiving the boy's blessing. Oddly encouraged, Harry made his way through the house, looking for Draco.

He was in the sitting room, lying on the couch staring at the empty fireplace. There were deep bags under his eyes; the purplish bruises making him seem even more pale than usual. It was doubtful that he had done much sleeping last night after Harry's departure. Guilt suddenly slipped in to join the maddening crush of a dozen other emotions that crowded Harry's chest in that moment.

"Draco."

The blonde flinched slightly, squeezing his eyes shut.

"Draco," Harry repeated, stepping into the room.

Draco froze, his entire body stiffening, and then he reopened his eyes, as if unable to believe that the voice he was hearing was real. He sat up, and their eyes met from couch to doorway. "Harry," he whispered, disbelief coloring the word. Disbelief and agony and despair, so vivid and intense that it nearly made Harry wince.

"Draco, I'm only going to say this once." Harry swallowed hard around the lump that wedged its way back into his throat. "You're the most stubborn, annoying, closed-in, sarcastic, pessimistic Pureblood that the world will probably ever see. But you're also a good father, and a great friend, and..." He blushed slightly. "Well, a bloody fantastic lover. And... I guess what I'm trying to say is that I love you. But I'm not going to pine over you like Gilbert, so if you don't love me back just say it now so I can get over you already."

He wasn't sure when his confession turned from romantic to demanding, but once the words started he simply couldn't get them to stop until he had exhausted them all. Apparently, the lump in his throat had merely been a word build-up that had suddenly broken loose. He wasn't yet sure if it was a good thing or not. Draco was just staring at him as though he'd sprouted a second head.

Just as Harry thought about backtracking and babbling an apology, Draco was on his feet. Harry waited, his breath caught in his throat, as the space was slowly, cautiously, closed between them. Draco searched his face, his eyes flickering across his features, looking for the truth in his words. "Say it again," he said hoarsely, swallowing.

Harry took a deep breath. "I love you."

The arms that suddenly wrapped around his neck and clung nearly took his breath away. The kiss that followed finished the job.

"I love you, too, you oblivious git," whispered Draco, panting the words between desperate kisses. "I've loved you for ages."

"Yeah, I'm beginning to see that." Harry curled his arms around the blonde's waist and tugged him closer, resting his forehead on his shoulder. "Am I the only one who didn't realize it? Gilbert and Scorpius both apparently already knew that you loved me, and that I suddenly found myself in love with you, too."

Draco laughed, and Harry thought for a moment that it sounded a little like a sob. "It's entirely possible," he said thickly, burying his face in the soft, dark hair of the man in his arms. Merlin, how he'd longed to do that for so long now. "You Gryffindor idiot."

"Hey, hey," Harry protested with a laugh, pushing him back a step. "If we start our relationship with that kind of abuse, we'll never make it last longer than Ginny and I did." Draco left off subtly brushing away tears, which was for the best since Harry couldn't be bothered to take a swipe at his own, and managed a smirk.

"I intend to last a great deal longer than the She-Weasel," Draco assured him.

"How long are we talking here?" asked Harry, beginning to smile.

"Let's start with a few decades, maybe a century, and then we'll talk," said Draco. He sounded so serious for a moment that Harry almost believed him.

"That sounds like a plan to me," said Harry with a nod, drawing the blonde back in for another kiss. Draco didn't seem to mind at all, wrapping an arm around his neck to help hold them close.

Somehow, they ended up on the couch, with Harry straddling a prone Draco, one leg on either side of his body, teasing the slightly taller man's neck with bites and kisses. "Did you say that Scorpius knew you were in love with me?" asked Draco, humming softly in approval as he ran his fingers through Harry's hair.

Harry nodded, sitting up slightly to view his handiwork, pleased by the splotches of color cropping up here and there on his pale skin. "He opened the door to let me in and he asked me if I loved you before he would let me come and see you."

Draco chuckled softly. "He certainly didn't inherit such bluntness from me."

Harry grinned and leaned down to administer another bite, soothing the sting with his tongue immediately. "You're a terrible liar."

Draco smirked and tangled his fingers in his hair, dragging his lips up to meet his before they could ravage his skin any further. "Are you going to punish me for it, Auror Potter?" he whispered teasingly.

Harry groaned softly. "Not with Scorpius still in the house," he muttered regretfully, feeling a sharp stir of arousal at the idea of 'punishing' the writhing blonde beneath him. Draco arched a brow and Harry flushed.

"I suppose it will simply have to wait until after the holidays," Draco murmured. In all the weeks that had passed most recently, in all the hours that he had wished away, Harry was never so eager for a time in the future than he suddenly was at the promise he could heard in the blonde's sultry whisper.

"I... I need to get back to work," muttered Harry, suddenly realizing just how long he had spent indulging in his twisted desire to mark every inch of visible skin on the blonde.

A rapid dash of emotions flitted across the blonde's face, and then vanished behind his usual mask. "Of course." He started to sit up, but Harry kept him pinned for just a moment longer.

"I love you," he reminded the blonde, and the mask slid off his face like rain off a window. A sincere smile curved Draco's lips, and they kissed again before Harry finally got to his feet.

"I love you, too," said Draco, and Harry could have sworn his heart actually left his chest and took flight. It wasn't a dream. It wasn't a joke. It was real, for both of them.

"I'll come back tonight," promised Harry, taking a step away.

Draco forced himself to resist the urge to draw the brunette back into his arms. He kept his hands at his sides, and simply said, "Hurry."

Heat flooded the dark green eyes, and then he nodded. "I will."

It took another twenty minutes to kiss their way from the couch to the door, whispering 'I love you's and delaying the inevitable. When the door was finally shut behind him, both men leaned against their side of the portal for a moment, absorbing the emotions that whirled around and around within them like supercharged merry-go-rounds.

_He loves me._

It was enough.

The rest would come later.

_(I know it's a bit shorter than usual, but as you can see, I have a bit of a thing going for this chapter, lovely readers. *hides* I hope my offering pleases you. I had this whole chapter tumbling around and around in my head for ages now. I've always known it would end this way. Just another couple of chapters to go and it will all be over with, my lovely readers. Please, please review and let me know what you think! Especially for such an important chapter! *yawns* I cranked this whole thing out in about three hours. Now I am exhausted, lovely readers, and it is time for sleep.)_


	20. Chapter 20

_(My lappy is back! :D Happy Storm is happy.  
I'm so pleased that everyone enjoyed the last chapter, lovely readers. I needed a happy ending for Gil (Thank you, Krysler, for the lovely suggestion ^^), and I needed a final splash of angst to drive Harry to the realization – finally – that he was the one Draco has loved all this time. Now we just need to tie up some loose ends with a few more chapters, and then it will be epilogue time. ^^ I'm pretty sure I know which pairing has won. However, I'm giving you these last chapters, lovely readers, to have your last chances to convince me why I should choose one over the other.  
By the way, lovely readers, the poll on the website works again! ^^ So go cast your votes – up to four different pairings – though you're welcome to continue casting them here as well, I won't be posting my personal poll here anymore. I'll still be keeping it to cross-reference with the website's poll when I go to write the epilogue, though. Review and vote!)_

"You realize, of course, that the media will have a field day if we don't keep this a secret," said Draco blandly, running his fingers through the dark hair within his reach. Harry shifted, looking up at him with a frown. They were tangled together in the silk sheets, disappointingly still fully dressed, with Harry's head on the taller blonde's chest. The children were all together in Scorpius' room, and Ginny was off on her own for the day. She had made a scathing comment about _certain men_, which Harry assumed was aimed at Dean, and had announced that she was taking a day for some therapy shopping. Merlin forbid Harry said anything to stop her if it meant he could have the day with Draco.

"I'm sure they'd leave it alone once the novelty of it died down," pointed out Harry, brows furrowed as he considered it.

"The novelty of it will last for months. If we're lucky." Draco rolled his eyes at Harry's disbelieving look. "Oh, please, Harry. 'Former Death Eater Corrupts Chosen Hero.'" Draco said it as if reading a headline from a newspaper. "And that will just be the tip of the iceberg. People will want to check for the Imperius curse, love potions, Confundus charms. No one will ever believe that you could happily choose to be with a man, especially a man with my background."

Harry frowned. "But I did." He scooted up until he could be face to face with his lover. "I have. I choose you."

Draco softened, and Harry marveled at how his eyes warmed to a shade of muted silver that he had never seen before he confessed to loving him. "I know. Thank Merlin, I know. But if you want a good example of why we can't let anyone else know, just look at your nest of Weasels." Harry winced, but he shook his head.

"They'll come around," he insisted. "If they see I'm happy with you, they'll come around eventually." Draco arched a brow at him.

"Then why haven't you insisted on telling any of them yet?"

Harry bit his lip and glanced away. "What about you? Don't you have anyone to tell?"

Draco rolled his eyes. "My parents are already well aware of my proclivities when it comes to relationships, and my mother knew I was in love with you before I could admit it even to myself." At Harry's surprised look, Draco shrugged. "Mothers. They seem to know every-bloody-thing."

"How are they doing? Your parents?"

Draco sighed. "Azkaban is still Azkaban, even though the Dementors are gone. It's not quite as bad as it was before, but they're locked up, regardless." Harry nodded sympathetically. "I write them when I can, and I try to visit a few times a year. They love Scorpius."

Harry could hear the wistful pang in Draco's voice, and he rolled onto his side to wrap an arm around his waist comfortingly. "Maybe I can go with you next time. And you can come over in the summer to let Ron and Hermione and all the others get used to you. I'm not giving you up," said Harry firmly when Draco opened his mouth to protest, "and I'm not going to make this our dirty little secret either."

Draco closed his mouth slowly, absorbing his words. A small smile gradually curved up the corners of his mouth. "First, you finish up with this divorce business. Then we'll worry about your coming out to your Weasels and the rest of the Wizarding world."

Harry nodded, lowering his head to kiss him quickly. "First off, it would help if you stopped calling them Weasels. That's not going to endear them to you."

Draco blinked up at him innocently. "Why ever not?"

Harry laughed and rested his head on his chest once more. "You know why. Please, Draco. They're the closest thing I have to a family."

Draco grumbled, curling an arm around him to anchor him to his chest as he considered it. "I suppose. But only to their faces. I insist on still being allowed to refer to them as Weasels in private. Especially the She-Weasel."

Harry just sighed contentedly. "You're incorrigible."

A sudden knock at the door startled both men. Harry shot up and away from Draco, which earned him a judgmental brow arch considering his recent decision not to let what was between them remain a secret. Harry flushed, but he still got up from the bed while Draco reluctantly did the same, spelling the covers back into perfect neatness with a wordless flick of his wand. He then sprawled right back out across the mattress comfortably, calling, "Who is it?" as Harry sat rather awkwardly at the chair in front of Draco's desk.

The door cracked open slightly, and Scorpius stepped into view when it seemed like the coast was clear. From the shuffling sounds behind him, the other children were just out in the hall, listening in. Scorpius had apparently been designated as the spokesperson for the children. "Father, we're hungry. Are you going to fix us lunch?"

Draco smiled, and rolled off the bed and onto his feet. "I suppose I must." He dropped a kiss on Harry's hair and earned a flustered sputtering sound from Harry, his whole face a rather adorable shade of red, while Scorpius smiled and ducked back into the hallway. There was no way he could disapprove of his father or his choices in this when it clearly made him so happy. He didn't care what other people thought or said. His father could do no wrong.

Now if only they could convince everyone else to think as Scorpius did, they wouldn't have any more problems with other people concerning their relationship.

(_Time skip_)

Perhaps they should have been more careful. Immediately after the children left for Hogwarts, Harry and Ginny had gone to work on paperwork for the divorce, and Draco had been left alone. Ginny had claimed that night to go out and get over Dean, and so they were horny and alone in their own homes. With Lily still to contend with, their options for spending time together were still severely limited, but they were much better than when all four children had been home.

Regardless, they should have been more careful. Making up excuses to visit each other's office the next day was hardly subtle after the fifth time, and forgetting to lock the door behind them while they made out and groped at one another like needy teenagers was simply inexcusable. It was sheer luck – bad luck – that they were in Harry's office, with Draco on the desk while Harry fit his desk chair between his spread legs so he could reach the blonde's talented mouth, when Ron decided to stop by and visit his best mate, as he often did.

By the time the two realized they had been discovered, Ron had seen more than enough, his eyes wide and his face a red that nearly outshone his hair. Draco glanced at him boredly, leaning back on his hands on the desk as if he didn't have a care in the world. Harry, on the other hand, was looking a little flushed, pushing back slightly from the desk as if it would somehow lessen the blow.

Ron charged forward, clearly intending to lead with his fists in the matter. Draco didn't look at all alarmed even before Harry threw himself between them, shoving Ron back. "Stop it! Ron, I asked him here."

"What the…? Bloody hell, Harry…! What's…? What's the slimy ferret git doing in here? With… with you?"

Draco rolled his eyes at Harry. "And yet I'm not allowed to call him a Weasel," he muttered.

"Hush, Draco," murmured Harry, dropping back into his seat behind the desk. "Ron, Hermione told you that Gin and I are getting a divorce."

Ron couldn't seem to decide who to stare at, his gaze jumping back and forth between both men. "Blimey, Harry, yeah, she told me about it, but she never told me you were divorcing my sister to hook up with the ferret!"

Draco frowned. He was quite all right with obligatory hassling and name-calling among old enemies. But to have to take such abuse while being told not to return it was simply not in his nature. So, rather than cause trouble by purposefully baiting the Weasel with anger, as he dearly wanted to, he decided to try something a bit more tactless.

Draco slid off the desk and right onto Harry's lap, curling his arms around his shocked lover's neck. It seemed as though Ron's eyes would leap clear out of their sockets, clearly delighting the blonde. "But Ronald, we're in _love_," cooed Draco with a smirk. "Doesn't that count for something with you emotional Gryffindor lot?

Ron sputtered, at a loss for words. Harry squirmed awkwardly under Draco's hold, but he didn't resist when he realized what the blonde was playing at. It would be so easy to deny Draco's words, knock him off his lap, and assure Ron that all was well. Their relationship would become a secret that they would take to their graves, and it would be because of Harry. He didn't want that to happen, even though Draco was giving him the out.

Finally, when it seemed that no one was going to say or do anything, Harry muttered, "It's true."

Ron blinked, returning his attention fully to his best friend. You could practically see the gears in his brain working overtime to piece everything together. "I… I gotta talk to Hermione." Ron darted out of the room, leaving the two lovers alone.

Harry groaned and buried his face in Draco's neck. The blonde stared up at the ceiling and wondered how long it had been cracked like that. "I suppose we're not waiting for the summer to introduce ourselves, then," he noted idly, and smiled slightly at the louder, more agonized groan that Harry loosed into his throat.

Hermione, of course, was quick to insist that Harry come over after work to straighten out Ron's frantic insistence that 'the Slytherin prat' had cast some kind of curse on Harry to make him think they were in love. Harry dragged Draco along, despite his obvious reluctance to show his face in the Weasley-Granger home.

"This is your problem," complained Draco as he was hauled along bodily by Harry. "I don't see why I have to be involved with their hysteria over your mental health."

"Because I love you," said Harry softly, and Draco paused, emotion briefly flashing across his face as it always did when Harry said the words, before he could control it.

"Why, Harry, what a Slytherin thing to do, using such a thing to get me to cooperate. Are you sure the Sorting Hat placed you properly?" The sudden knowing smirk Harry shot his way had Draco incredibly intrigued.

"Later," he promised, and then knocked on the door.

Hermione answered it with a pensive frown already on her lips, which only deepened when she saw that Draco was there as well, their hands clasped, fingers linked tightly. "For the record, I've been coerced into being here," said Draco, nodding his head at Harry condemningly. "I told him that no Malfoy would ever be welcomed into a Weasel home, even if half of it's Granger, but he simply refused to listen to reason."

Harry rolled his eyes and gave his lover a quick shove with his elbow and said, "Hey, Hermione," over Draco's cries of "And now domestic violence, do you see?"

Despite herself, a smile quirked at her lips as Hermione greeted them and stepped back to allow them to enter. Ron was brooding on the couch, where Hermione quickly joined him, while Harry took a chair. Draco perched himself on the arm, refusing to drift far in what he considered to be a hostile environment.

"So, Harry…" Hermione seemed to be trying to choose her words carefully. Further into the house, Hugo could be heard playing in his bedroom. "How long have you and Malfoy been…?"

"Since after I told you about Ginny being with Dean," said Harry truthfully, relieved to have the lie, even if it was only a lie by omission, off his chest.

"Oh, come off it!" exploded Ron. "It's the Imperius curse, isn't it? Malfoy's gone and spelled him somehow!"

Harry straightened a little in his seat, feeling protective. He could see that the Slytherin Prince had his usual mask in place, and he wondered briefly just how deep the hurt went. He slipped his hand into the blonde's and squeezed. Draco didn't turn his head, but he glanced down at him out of the corner of his eye and smiled faintly, briefly allowing his mask to drop. Hermione shot her husband a look, having observed the exchange quietly. "Harry's just a bit too lucid for it to be the Imperius curse, Ron," she corrected him. "And it's not love potion either. If it were, he'd be all over Draco right now." To Ron, they were as good as all over each other just by sharing the chair as they were, even though the only place they touched was at their still-clasped hands.

"Draco hasn't done anything to me," said Harry defensively.

"Quite the contrary," said Draco, "The Gryffindor Hero drove off my boyfriend and took his place quite insistently."

Harry glanced at him. "You like me better."

Draco hummed quietly in agreement. "Point," he conceded.

Ron looked as though he would explode again at any moment, so Hermione got to her feet. "Malfoy…" She stopped, looked at Harry, and then started again. "Draco. Would you mind helping me in the kitchen for a moment?"

Harry squeezed his hand again encouragingly and Draco stood reluctantly, muttering, "I suppose not." _For Harry,_ he told himself. _You're doing this for Harry._

Hermione put on a pot of tea and leaned against the counter, watching him. "What are you doing here, Malfoy?"

The blonde sent a glance back at the doorway, then lifted a brow at her. "I believe you invited me back here to threaten me into leaving Harry alone under the pretense of me helping you make tea. But I could be mistaken."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Still the same, Malfoy. Why are you here? With Harry? What are you getting out of it?"

Draco crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. "Is it so difficult to believe I'm here for Harry? That what I get out of it is Harry?"

"Actually, it is, Malfoy. You did try to kill us."

Draco smiled, ever so slightly. "Did I?"

Hermione frowned. "Of course you did. With the Fiendfyre in the Room of Requirement."

Draco shook his head. "Crabbe is the one that cast the Fiendfyre. And as you'll recall, it was Harry that nearly killed me once, not the other way around."

Hermione's frown deepened. "In the Manor…" Draco glanced away and her eyes widened. "You knew. Harry said you knew, but I never really believed him. Why didn't you tell them?"

Draco stared at the wall stubbornly, suddenly wishing he had stayed home and let Harry make this trip alone. "I couldn't let them kill him. I couldn't do much for the cause with Voldemort staying in my home, but I knew I couldn't let them kill Harry. So I lied. I lied to my family and to the Dark Lord. I let Harry take the wands from me. And I ran away in the Room of Requirement because I couldn't bear to do him any harm." He turned, his eyes fierce, and stared at Hermione, daring her to judge him and his feelings, even from way back then.

Hermione was staring at him in surprise and disbelief. But not a sort of disbelief that hinted at her doubt for his words. It was more a disbelief that she could have possibly missed so much, what with her notable intelligence. As the silence stretched between them, Draco looked away once more. "I love him. I've loved him for a long time. And if he wants to be with me, I will do anything to make sure that happens. Even if it means making nice with a few Gryffindors."

It was so odd, Hermione reflected. So very odd to hear that familiar, biting sarcasm and the unfamiliar words of love coming from the same person. She was having a hard time combining the Malfoy she had once known and the Malfoy she was coming to know. But Harry trusted him. Apparently, Harry even loved him. And that would have to be good enough for her for the time being.

"Well, I suppose we'll all have to make a few sacrifices, for Harry's sake." She extended her hand to him, and after a moment, he took it. "Merlin, it's going to be a trial convincing my husband to have the same attitude about it."

Draco shrugged. "I wouldn't worry yourself too much, Granger. If the Weasel and I didn't fight, I don't think the world would spin quite right anymore."

She laughed. "I suppose you have a point." As Hermione fixed the tea, they chatted a bit more about more neutral topics, such as the items he confiscated at work and the sort of magic he came in contact with, Dark or otherwise. Harry was relieved when they returned, Draco levitating the tea tray to the table between the couch and the chairs. Neither looked worse for wear, so he supposed it had gone well. Ron still looked murderous, but it would take more time than it took to brew a pot of tea to change his opinion of the Slytherin.

Draco sat on the arm of the chair once more, and Harry reached up to touch his thigh briefly, hoping to reassure him if necessary. Draco glanced at him, and placed his hand over Harry's. "So, Harry," began Hermione, drawing his attention back to their side of the room. "When exactly were you planning to tell everyone else about this?"

Harry squirmed slightly in his seat. "Well, we were thinking maybe over the summer it would be easier for everyone to get to know each other, and the kids would be able to spend time together too. So it would be a win-win situation, of sorts."

Hermione stared at him. "Ginny doesn't know either, does she."

Harry's squirming increased, but Draco beat him to the answer. "We're going to let the divorce go through before we complicate things with her complete and utter hatred for all things Malfoy-related. I don't think she'd be as easygoing about it if she knew I was her replacement." He glanced at Ron briefly. "As long as everyone here can keep quiet until then, there won't be any problems."

Ron scowled, and Hermione laid her hand over his knee. "How long before then?"

Harry worried his lower lip with his teeth. "Everything should be settled in another week or so. We've split everything pretty evenly, nothing too complicated. It's just a matter of getting everything finalized and then it will be over."

Draco flicked his wand, displaying the time. He slid off the arm of the chair to the floor, saying, "Harry, it's going to be time for you to head home soon. We should be going."

Harry nodded and got to his feet as well. "Just… try to keep an open mind, all right? For me."

Hermione let them out, since her husband was still pouting on the couch after the apparent backfiring of his plan to convince his wife that Harry was obviously under some sort of evil spell to convince him into thinking he loved Draco. Draco gave Harry a smirk and leaned in to give him a kiss once the door was shut behind them, Apparating them away to what he considered to be home.

(_Time skip_)

"I don't believe you."

Scorpius crossed his arms, brow furrowed. "You can believe what you like. But I know it's the truth."

Albus rolled over onto his stomach as James sank down against the tree he was leaning against. They were sitting out by the lake to get away from the crowded halls of the castle. After spending the holiday at home, the crush of students seemed like too much to take at the moment. Besides, Scorpius had insisted they needed privacy to hear the secret he finally intended to divulge.

"Scor, our dads hated each other for forever," Albus reminded him with a small frown. It wasn't that he didn't want to believe his friend, but it just seemed too far-fetched. "I know you said your dad was in love with a guy, but how do you know for sure it's our dad?"

Scorpius sank down into the grass and glanced out at the lake, wondering briefly at what might lurk beneath its surface that didn't come to his window. "My father told me. And I've seen them. Your father came the night after he told you about the divorce and he was lying on the couch with my dad, and they were sleeping together like that. And the other day, when we were all at my house. When I went in to ask about lunch my father kissed yours on the head and your father didn't do anything to stop him. He liked it."

James was frowning out at the lake, displeased by what he was hearing. But he didn't call Scorpius a liar, so there was some improvement, at least. "…Why wouldn't he tell us?" James finally muttered. Scorpius shrugged.

"My father only told me recently, and he told me it was a big secret because even your father didn't know about it. But now I think that since your father knows, and he must feel the same way, it's okay to tell you."

Albus rolled back onto his back and looked up at the sky, watching the clouds. "Do you think it might also be because he doesn't want us to be upset, like we were about the divorce?"

Scorpius shrugged and glanced at James, who had fallen silent once more.

"Maybe you could write to him," the blonde suggested softly, looking between the two brothers. James tore his gaze away from the water and looked over at Scorpius, then Albus. They were both watching him for his reaction. Albus seemed pleased by the idea, though, sitting up slightly, eyes a shade brighter than they had been before.

"…Yeah," he said grudgingly. "Maybe we can write to him."

_(Holy crap, I love my lappy. ^^ I hope you enjoy, lovely readers. Sorry for the rushed ending note, but I'm off to work! Much love from your authoress, Storm! Can't wait to read all your lovely reviews! :D )_


	21. Chapter 21

_(Ahhh, lovely readers, what a week. I want nothing more than to curl up and sleep, and yet my God-awful muse demands my attention. And yours, as well. Please continue to review and vote, I could really use the mood boost right about now what with my mother four hours away getting chemo again this week. It's quite distressing.  
Again, the poll is now working on the site, but as we have recently discovered, you cannot access the poll from the iPhone. You'll have to get on a computer to vote on the poll on my profile.  
Also, ignore my bitchy muse demanding more reviews. It just gets like that sometimes. :/ Feel free to go and read my new Drarry drabble series that my bitchy Dark!Muse insisted on starting, called _The Beauty Underneath. _That is all. ^^ And now, on to the chapter.)_

Harry stared down at the parchment in front of him on the table as he leaned forward to sign it, scarcely able to believe what was happening. It was done. The divorce was being finalized even as he scratched out his signature with the ink-dipped quill. Ginny's signature was already there, freshly signed just before him, showing her agreement to the splitting of their possessions and the arrangement as a whole. She had already gone shopping around a few times for a house of her own, and would probably be moved out in a matter of weeks. Their marriage was officially over.

Harry pushed the completed parchment across the table and it was vanished with a flick of a wand. "Thank you very much, Mr. Potter, Ms. Weasley."

Was it really so simple?

With Lily spending the day with Hugo in the Granger-Weasley household, they were now free to spend the rest of their Saturday as they pleased. Side by side, the ex-couple walked outside and stood in the sun for a few moments, just taking it in. Harry exhaled heavily and glanced over at her, meeting her eye as she did the same. "It almost doesn't seem real," he murmured, and she nodded briefly, glancing away, her fingers tangled and fidgety.

"It's for the best," she said, as if reminding them both of the fact. Harry's lips lifted in a sad smile, and he pulled her into a hug.

"We'll be friends," he promised, and she began to return his smile, reassured as their embrace was neither awkward nor strained. It was the truth, they were better as friends. It might have been better if they had figured it out a lot sooner, but then they might not have the wonderful children that they did, and Harry could never regret what had given him James, Albus, and Lily.

"Best friends," she agreed as they pulled away from one another.

"No one knows me better," Harry said with a small laugh as they began to walk, with no particular destination in mind. Layers of stress he hadn't even realized were there had fallen from his shoulders. They were free, free to be with other people and yet still in each other's lives. He wasn't sure if he could have a life without her in it at all. They had been together for too long. But this – without so many fights or so much tension – was sure to be infinitely preferable to how they had been before.

"Well, until you get a new girlfriend," said Ginny teasingly, giving him a nudge. Harry flushed slightly, thinking of Draco, and her eyes widened. "Have you already got one? What's her name? I want details, Harry!" Here was another good thing, he reflected. Since he had forgiven her for her betrayal with Dean, there had been no hints of jealousy or possessiveness between them. So aside from her aversion to Draco as a person, he didn't have to worry about her being upset at being replaced so quickly, considering she had replaced him far earlier.

"Well…" Harry bit his lip, and Ginny latched onto his arm.

"_Harry_," she stressed, "Tell me! I have to make sure she's worthy of you, after all. Tell me everything about her, I need –"

"It's a bloke," Harry blurted, his voice low.

Ginny blinked at him, startled. She seemed to be working hard to configure what she knew of him with this sudden new information. Then she laughed, weakly. "No wonder."

Harry's flush deepened. "It's… kind of a recent thing. _Really_ recent," he added. "I never even thought about liking a guy before, and then he came along and… I don't know, it seems like one minute we were friends, and then I realized _he_ was into blokes when I met his boyfriend, and I started… thinking about things…" He trailed off, shaking his head.

Ginny was watching him closely now, brows furrowed. "So… who is it, then? If he has a boyfriend already…"

Harry grinned and scratched the back of his neck, looking sheepish. "I, ah… I might've gotten him to dump his boyfriend for me. But Gil was okay with it," he continued quickly when he saw Ginny's surprise, "He's already moved on to find someone else. In Austria. It's kind of a funny story, he came in to see me at work and told me all about it. If Draco hadn't…"

He trailed off, realizing he had gone too far. Ginny's arched brows were now drawn together, her eyes narrowed into slits. "Draco?" she echoed, not wanting to believe her ears. "Draco _Malfoy_?" She spat the full name.

"Gin," he started, lifting his hands, "Just wait. He's not as bad as you think he is. He's not just a smug little smartarse like he always was in school. He's really sweet, and he…" Harry smiled slightly, "He loves me. He's all bark and no bite, and if you'd just give him a chance you'd see that he's really not such a bad guy."

Ginny frowned, considering. She hated Malfoy, she really did. But she couldn't help but remember the way he had clung to his son for just a moment after driving off Astoria like a mother bear protecting its cub. There had been something there… And there had to be some sort of redeeming quality in him if Scorpius preferred him to his mother, however slight that quality might be. With a sharp sigh, Ginny relented. "I want to go see him."

Harry's eyes widened. "What?"

Ginny's arms crossed. "If he's not so bad as all that, prove it. I want to see him."

Harry nibbled his lower lip for a moment, but he knew Ginny well enough to know that she wouldn't let this go. And they would have to see each other again eventually, this would only be hurrying along the inevitable. "Let's go home and I can Floo-call him to make sure it's okay before we just show up over there," Harry finally gave in, his shoulders slumping slightly. He mentally sent a little apology to the blonde, hoping that this wouldn't end up blowing up in their faces.

They Apparated home and Harry took care of arranging the Floo-call, sticking his head into the green flames after calling his lover's name. "Draco?" he called, wondering where the blonde was at. He hoped that he was at home, somewhere that he would hear him calling. "Draco!"

After a few moments, he heard barefoot steps down the hall, and he relaxed. The blonde came around the corner in his usual lazy day attire, frowning slightly, but the stern look immediately curved into a smile when he spotted Harry's face in the fire. "Harry," he said warmly, crouching down in front of the flames, "Back from divorcing the She-Weasel? Come through, I've been waiting for you."

Harry hesitated. "Actually, can you come here? Ginny…" He trailed off, and watched as realization quickly dashed across the blonde's face.

"She knows." Harry nodded, and Draco rolled his eyes. "I suppose I can't be too surprised, Gryffindors have never been widely-known for keeping secrets." Harry frowned, and he chuckled softly. "Don't take such offense, Potter. I lie well enough for the both of us." He tugged on his sleeve lightly and sighed. "Give me a few moments and I'll come through, then."

Harry nodded and pulled his head out of the fire, sitting back to look at Ginny where she stood behind him, waiting. "He's going to come here, he just needs a few minutes," Harry relayed to her, pushing himself back onto his feet to cross to the couch and settle in more comfortably for the imminent confrontation.

Ginny went into the kitchen for a drink while they waited, her displeasure with his choice in lovers still extremely clear. Harry leaned his head back and shut his eyes, wondering for not the first time just how his life always managed to become so complicated. When he heard the surge of flames in the fireplace he lifted his head and saw Draco step out, freshly dressed in fitted black trousers and a flattering Slytherin green dress shirt, fixed up so that he looked positively gorgeous as usual, not a hair out of place from his head to his toes.

"Draco," he began sitting up slightly. A quick skim of silver eyes across the room let him know they were alone, and so he didn't hesitate to lean in and drop a quick kiss on Harry's mouth, interrupting whatever it was he had been planning to say.

"Can nothing ever be simple when it comes to you?" he asked quietly, smiling faintly, their foreheads nearly touching. Harry laughed softly.

"I was just thinking the same thing," he confessed.

Draco smirked and leaned in for another kiss when they both heard Ginny clearing her throat from the doorway. The blonde shot her a glance, one eyebrow raised, and straightened slowly. "Way to ruin a moment, Ginevra." He slipped onto the couch beside Harry as Ginny's temper flicked up a notch at the obnoxious use of her full name.

"Draco," said Harry, "Please be nice. For me," he tacked on when the blonde shot him an exasperated look.

Draco grumbled quietly but merely sunk a bit lower against the couch cushions and fell silent rather than baiting Ginny further. Harry slipped a hand into his and was pleased to feel him squeeze briefly, reassuring him despite his sulking. "You've yet to tell me why I'm here when we could be busy snogging at my place," Draco pointed out after a moment of silence, when it seemed like nobody was going to say anything else.

Harry flushed, and Ginny made a choked sound, dropping into the chair that she had been crossing the room towards with a thump. "Ginny wanted to talk to you, now that she knows about… us." Harry coughed uncomfortably. "I told her you're not as bad as she thinks you are, and she wanted me to prove it."

Draco lifted a brow at him and smirked. "And how were you planning to do that, exactly?" Harry shrugged, suddenly feeling slightly ridiculous. Ginny and Draco had never gotten along before, the knowledge that he and Draco were together would hardly be enough to fix the dozens of things that were apparently wrong between the two of them. Ginny would still carry her Malfoy bias, and Draco would still look down on all things Weasley, the 'She-Weasel' in particular.

"Well, all you've done so far is convince me that you're still the same insufferable prat that I've always known you to be," snipped Ginny, satisfied to have been proven right in her judgment of Draco's character.

"Perhaps," agreed Draco with a slight inclination of his head, slipping his hand from Harry's and wrapping his arm around his shoulders instead, bringing them slightly closer together. "But I'm the insufferable prat bedding Harry every other night." He ignored the startled sound that broke from Harry's lips before he could control it, noting with faint amusement that it sounded suspiciously like a squeak. "So your options are to live with it or live without Harry in your life at all, which I would be quite all right with, to be frank."

Harry might as well not have even been in the room. Their eyes locked and held, and if the tension had been visible it would have been like streaks of lightning leaping at one another, seeking some way to exert dominance and drive the other back. Ginny finally tossed her head, challenge in her eyes as she lifted her chin in a stubborn gesture that Harry was all too familiar with. Draco's eyes flashed as he tilted his head at her, accepting her challenge.

"I still really, really don't like you, Malfoy," she said, her voice low.

Draco shrugged one shoulder, unconcerned. "The feeling's mutual, Ginevra."

Harry closed his eyes and, again, reflected on the complexity of his life.

_(Time skip)_

"I got a letter from Albus and James yesterday."

Draco tightened his arm around the brunette's waist and settled his head comfortably on his bare shoulder, running his short fingernails lightly over his lover's skin, smiling slightly to himself as he allowed himself to wallow just a few more moments in the post-coital bliss before tuning into the conversation Harry was apparently starting between them.

"I see," he murmured, having nothing else to really add with so little information to go on. Harry didn't seem to mind, taking his short response as an invitation to spill the whole story. They had the whole night, after all. Ginny had insisted that Harry stay the whole night for once, that she was more than happy to take care of Lily for a single evening to give them kind of time they had been denied up to that point. For Harry's sake, she had added pointedly. But the fact remained that Draco was benefitting from it as well.

"Scorpius apparently told them your big secret, about being into blokes _and_ being in love with me." Draco lifted his head, surprised, and Harry nodded, pleased to have gotten his full attention now. "Apparently he was keeping the secret for you until he found out that I knew all about it and reciprocated the feeling, and then he decided it was all right for them to know, as well. But they don't intend to tell anyone else. It's like you said, I guess, about them turning to each other for comfort and support."

Draco nodded, frowning as he let his head drop once more. As much as he hated the idea of Scorpius sharing his secrets with anyone after he had promised not to tell a soul, he could understand the boy's reasoning. And the three boys were very close, he would admit. Scorpius might have told them because it concerned them, and because of their bond, but he knew he could still trust his son not to tell anyone else, except perhaps Lily. But by the time that became an issue, she would probably already know, as well.

"So they wrote to you wanting you to confirm it, I suppose?" hedged Draco, letting his eyes slip shut for a moment when he felt fingers gently card through his hair, giving his scalp a pleasurable scrape with his blunt nails every now and then. Harry smiled to himself as he watched Draco completely relax against him. He knew what Gilbert had meant now about it being impossible not to love someone like Draco once you were allowed to see past their masks and defenses, right into their hearts with all their complexities and eccentricities.

"Yeah, Albus and James wrote on the same parchment. I guess they were too impatient to each write their own letter. Scorpius wrote a little, too, mostly to apologize for telling them without knowing if we would be okay with it."

Draco nodded a little, his attention beginning to drift once more. "Have you already written them a reply?" he asked in a murmur, prying his eyes back open. Harry resumed stroking his hair and watched those sleepy silver eyes slip shut once more.

"I wrote back before I came over here tonight." He leaned a little closer and kissed Draco's forehead. "We can worry about it tomorrow at work. You look exhausted." One eye cracked back open to stare at him disdainfully.

"Are you implying that I don't look my best, Potter?" he prodded, and Harry stifled a laugh.

"Perish the thought. Now go to sleep. I'm exhausted, too, if it makes you feel any better." Draco grumbled quietly but it quickly faded into silence as he settled in and allowed his mind to shut off, his half-hearted complaints replaced with quiet breathing. Harry smiled to himself and tucked the blonde head under his chin, shutting his eyes to drift off to sleep as well.

The next morning, Harry awoke with a start, glancing around. When he realized where he was, and whose bed he was in, he relaxed and sank back down into the sheets. Then he perked up a little when he heard the shower running in the master bathroom. Harry got to his feet and padded across the room to poke his head around the door frame, letting out a rush of hot steam that would have immediately fogged his glasses if he hadn't cast a small spell on them ages ago preventing just that. It had been bloody inconvenient before that point trying to bathe while halfway blind.

He could hear Draco still very much involved with his grooming, humming to himself softly as he scrubbed. Harry's mouth went a little dry, watching the silhouette through the curtain run his sudsy hands through his hair, tilting his head back to allow the hot water to rush down his body. Harry felt a stir of arousal and shut the door softly at his back, pleased by the convenience of already being naked from the night before.

Draco gave a small start when Harry slipped past the curtain to join him, smiling in amusement. "Woke up, did we, sleeping beauty?"

Harry reached out to tug him closer, and Draco went willingly, pressing against him as he lowered his head those few precious inches to catch the brunette's lips with his own. "Godric, Draco, what are you trying to do, boil yourself in your own skin?" muttered Harry, running his hands down the heated skin of the blonde's back.

"I like my shower water hot," Draco defended himself, sliding one hand down to squeeze one round arse cheek appreciatively, smirking . Harry made a small sound in his throat and pressed closer, driving Draco's back into the warm tile wall. "Among other things," he added, skimming his other hand up Harry's torso to his chin, cupping it for another hungry kiss.

"We're going to be late for work," mumbled Harry, capturing his leg and bringing his thigh up to his hip, exposing him to his hungry green gaze.

Draco shot him a cheeky grin. "Hurry," he urged, and his head fell back against the shower wall as Harry took him at his word and did as he was told.

Groans bounced and echoed off the damp tiles, amplified in a lovely way to surround them just as the hot steam did, curling and twisting in the air almost tangibly as they rode each other together towards that same overwhelming peak, urging each other along with grasping fingers and nipping teeth and burning demands murmured in low, gravelly tones, like _More_ and _Faster_ and _Godric, Draco, do that again…_.

"You'll have to come and visit me today," said Draco with a faint pout, slumped across the bed as he lazily watched Harry dress. "That's twice now you've jumped my bones here recently, how am I expected to walk all around the Ministry with an aching arse, I ask you?"

Harry laughed and tugged a comb through his wet, tangled hair briefly, tossing it aside when it got stuck, as it always inevitably did. He didn't even see why he bothered anymore. "I'll be sure to come and visit you, Draco," he promised. "I have to bring you that letter, and it looks like I'll have to carry you if we want to go anywhere for lunch. Or do you think you can manage to walk that much, at least?" He grinned as Draco snorted, clearly insulted.

"I could walk as much as anyone, git. It's just a matter of how much it will hurt me to do so." He turned his head away, the picture of Pureblood pride and martyrdom. "Obviously, though, I am in love with a sadist, and it pleases you to think of me in pain trying to get around all day today." Harry rolled his eyes, amused by his lover's dramatics.

"Well, maybe when you're tired of an aching arse you'll turn the tables on me, eh?" He blinked, immediately regretting the joking words when Draco glanced at him with a primal glint in his silvery eyes.

Bloody hell. Suddenly he was extremely thankful that he was spending tonight at the house with Ginny and Lily.

_(Time skip)_

_Dear boys (all three of you),_

_Scorpius is telling the truth. I am in love with Mr. Malfoy, and he is in love with me. We were going to wait to tell you after the divorce was finalized with your mother and I. Seeing as we finally did just that this weekend, I suppose you didn't find out too much sooner than we originally intended, so there's no harm done in the secret telling.  
I don't want either of you, James or Albus, to think that I divorced your mother _because_ of Mr. Malfoy. We had agreed to have the divorce before I ever got involved with him, and it's merely coincidence that things have worked out so well in the aftermath. I'll be more than happy to answer any other questions you might have when you come home for the summer, as will Mr. Malfoy, unless they're simply too urgent to wait, in which case you can write me as you did this time and I'll do my best to answer you boys to the best of my abilities.  
I love you both very much, as does your mother, and Scorpius, your father loves you, as well. Our decisions will have no lasting effects on you if we can help it. These are our personal lives, but we know where our responsibilities lie with you three (four, including you, Scorpius)._

_I look forward to seeing all of you this summer, as I'm sure we'll all be seeing quite a lot of each other. Be good, and study hard for your exams. I know they're coming up soon._

_Love,_

_Dad_

The letter was delivered by Albus' owl, and the three huddled together at breakfast to read the response together. Scorpius smiled ever so slightly, pleased to have been proven correct. Albus and James were both looking a little less excited, though neither overreacted to the news either. "Does this mean we're going to be like brothers?" asked Albus thoughtfully.

James snorted. "No. Brothers have blood in common. It's not like his dad is going to be our dad, or our mom is going to be his mom. Scorpius is still just our friend, even if our dads are dating." He made a face. "Which is still weird."

Scorpius glanced sideways at him, one eyebrow raised in a mirror image of his father. "It doesn't matter if they love each other, does it?" James shrugged, poking at his bacon unenthusiastically, not at all comfortable with the current topic.

"I guess not," muttered James. "But it's still weird."

Albus stared at the table thoughtfully, working one corner of the letter worriedly between two fingers. "I think it would be weird no matter who he was with, even if it was another woman. It's just weird for Dad to be with anyone but Mom."

Scorpius nodded, but he didn't know quite how they felt. His parents had never really been together from what he had seen, even when they were 'together'. He just knew he trusted his father unreservedly, and if he felt like being with Mr. Potter was what made him happy, then that was all that mattered. "Maybe it will be easier if you can see them together like I have," suggested Scorpius. "They look… really happy together."

"I guess that means we'll see them this summer," said Albus, and James half-heartedly agreed. He wasn't all that interested in seeing their fathers 'together'. But it couldn't be worse than merely imagining it as he already was.

"We should be getting to class, Al." Scorpius got to his feet, tugging his bag onto his shoulder as the now-shorter-once-more brunette did the same. Their growing contest was still very much on-going, and Scorpius was pleased to be back in the lead. "See you later, James."

Albus wished his brother a similar goodbye, and James grunted at them both, watching as they headed off side by side, heads already bowed close together as they started up a new conversation. James studied them until they disappeared from sight, then rested his chin on the table.

_I wonder how Dad realized he likes blokes…_

_(And I'm going to cut it off there. My muse demands it. ^^ Silly muse, where did that smut come from? It was so pointless, so cleverly snuck in while I wasn't paying attention. Naughty, naughty muse. Regardless, I hope everyone enjoys. Please be sure to review and vote. And be sure to check out my Dark!Muse's drabble series, which has a second chapter posted now, called _The Beauty Underneath_. 'Til next time, lovely readers.)_


	22. Chapter 22  Epilogue

_(Okay, lovely readers. My muse and I sat down and had a long talk today. The final pairing has been decided. There was a clear winner in the polls, but as I said, the winner in the poll is not necessarily the winner for the fic. It depends on my muse. If I don't have the inspiration to write one pairing or the other, then I can't write it or it won't be the quality fic that my lovely readers deserve. I loved listening to all the reasoning that was done in the many lovely reviews that I received. There are several which I returned to over and over, as they were the most convincing. In the end… Well… Why don't you just read on and find out?  
Oh! Before I forget! I have two challenges for you, my lovely readers:  
1) The first lovely reader that goes back to Chapter 11 and rereads it, and figures out what two quotes I took from my former high school's Spring musical, and what the musical was, I will write a fic for them, with whatever pairing/plot they choose. This would be a good opportunity for any fans of the pairing that didn't win, even though I will be writing multiple fics for either pairing eventually.  
2) The 325__th__ reviewer will also get the opportunity to request a fic with whatever pairing/plot they choose. Do not go back and review multiple previous chapters in order to ensure you are the 325__th__. I promise that there will be other fic-request opportunities in the future. ^^  
You may only win one of the challenges. Two lucky, lovely readers will have fics written in their honor. Since this is the last chapter, I will be Pm-ing the winners, so make sure that feature isn't blocked or anything on your profile. ^^ Now, on with the epilogue! :D )_

_June 5__th__, 2018_

"Harry, if you don't tell me where the bloody hell we're going in the next five seconds, I will rip this blindfold off and strangle you with it."

Harry chuckled and tightened his arm around his lover's waist, continuing to guide him while his vision was hindered by the thick strip of cloth that he had secured there before leaving the blonde's house. "Why would you want to spoil the surprise like that? Just a bit longer, I promise. It will be worth it." Draco didn't seem too convinced, but he didn't try to strangle the brunette, which was good enough for the time being.

"Harry," rumbled the blonde again, warningly. Harry just grinned.

"What, scruffy?"

Draco went immediately silent. The murder that would have been in his eyes had they been visible was nearly tangible. "You said you liked my beard," he snapped defensively, one hand coming up to stroke his chin briefly, worriedly.

"I do, I do," Harry reassured him, fighting back a laugh. The best way to distract Draco would always be to insult his vanity.

"Salazar, Harry, I –"

Harry pulled them to a stop and whipped off the blindfold before the blonde could finish his threat. The words caught in Draco's throat, rendering him speechless as he looked up, and up, and realized he was staring at his home. His family home. Malfoy Manor.

"Happy birthday," whispered Harry, giving his waist another tight squeeze.

"You…" Draco swallowed, choking on the sudden lump in his throat. "You bought the Manor."

Harry hummed quietly in agreement. "Apparently it changed hands quite a few times since you sold it. By the time I got to it, they were practically giving it away. Seems some of the old wards were giving them a hard time when they tried to make use of the property."

Draco turned, his vision alarmingly blurry, and threw his arms around Harry's neck in a rare show of pure, uncontrollable emotion, clinging tightly for just a moment. Harry just held him close and buried his nose in his hair, smiling slightly. "Thank you." His voice was low and rough, strained with the effort it took to draw in his surging emotions. "Harry…"

The slightly shorter man smirked, and took a step back. "There's another surprise inside. I almost didn't think I'd be able to pull it off, but apparently even the youngest of Malfoys know how to get past the wards."

As the words sank in, Draco's whole face seemed to brighten. He held out his hand, and Harry took it, stepping closer as he was tugged within inches of his taller lover. "We'll have to see what can be done about getting the wards to make exceptions for Potters from now on," he murmured, closing the last few inches between them to kiss Harry softly.

Harry nodded, but it was something that could be handled later. Today was for Draco.

Inside, James, Albus, and Lily peered out of one of the upstairs windows with Scorpius, striving to see the two men. "See, look," said Scorpius, a streak of pride in his voice. "They're happy together." It was extremely hard to deny between Draco clinging to Harry for that single moment and the kiss that followed soon after before they began walking toward the Manor once more, still pressed close to one another.

"It's still weird," grumbled James. Scorpius shot him a discouraging look.

"It is… kind of…" agreed Albus reluctantly, and Lily nodded, agreeing with her older brothers even as Scorpius frowned at them. "But Scor is right. As long as they're happy together, that's what matters the most, right?"

James scowled, but eventually nodded. He wanted to say, "Just so long as they don't have us moving in together." It was bad enough that their Mom no longer lived with them without suddenly having Mr. Malfoy come into their lives like that, as if he was going to replace her or something. But…

He glanced to the side, his scowl deepening. It wouldn't be _so_ bad if Scorpius was going to move in, too, if it happened. Not that he was going to say that part out loud. It sounded so sappy, more like something Albus would say.

Lily was the first one to look back to the window. "We have to go downstairs! They're almost at the door!"

All four children quickly jumped up and made a run for the door, sprinting along the hall and down the stairs. They could hear the knob turning, the door quietly creaking as it opened. They put on an extra burst of speed and nearly tumbled down the rest of the stairs, barreling toward the couple at the door even as they stepped past the threshold.

Harry fell onto his butt with the force of three children hitting him at top speed. Draco merely stumbled back a few steps, wrapping his arms around Scorpius tightly. As Harry swore and struggled and had his kids laughing at his antics, Draco dropped to his knees and faced Scorpius, still holding him close. "We've got the Manor back," said Scorpius with a smile.

"Yes, we do," agreed Draco, glancing to the side where the four Potters were sprawled on the ground, giggling almost hysterically at this point. "But I don't think it's just for you and me anymore." Scorpius followed his gaze, and his smile widened a little.

"That's even better."

_(Time skip)_

Draco, of course, insisted on throwing a proper party now that the Manor was back in his possession. It took him the work of a day to sell the small house where he and Scorpius had lived, move their furniture to the Manor, and begin working on returning the house to its former glory, and then some. Harry could tell with every visit he made to the huge home over the course of a week that changes were being made for the better.

Whatever furniture had been stored rather than sold was returned, colors and styles were changed from the walls to the drapes to the flooring, the dust was banished and everything was soon glistening, as if brought back to life after a long hibernation. Scorpius was eager to help restore his old home, and could often be seen dogging his father's footsteps, prepared to do any and all tasks that weren't being done with magic whenever the Potter children were off visiting their mother.

The children basically lived at both homes, swapping from one to the other almost every day, except for when they were visiting Ginny. At Harry's they spent a lot of time in Albus' room, talking (or arguing) and fooling around for hours with whatever happened to come to hand. Scorpius took care to make time for Lily, making sure she was included in whatever they did. He seemed to be developing quite a soft spot for the girl, and she soon declared that he was her favorite brother, which got James all worked up as they argued the semantics of Lily calling Scorpius her 'brother'.

At the Manor, they explored the many, many rooms scattered from one wing to the other. Albus got the bright idea by the second week to draw a map of everything they did, so they would know where everything was later on, since there were too many rooms to ever remember what they all were. A large number of the rooms upstairs were guest bedrooms, and they spent hours testing each and every bed they found by jumping on it until Draco's thundering voice sent them hurrying on to their next destination, checking yet another room off their map. He never came upstairs to follow through on his threats, though, and so the jumping continued.

By mid-July, the Manor was complete. And so were Draco's party plans. He reassured Harry that he would even invite the entire Weasel brood, just to make him happy. Harry was more concerned about how many _other_ people would be invited. "Think of it as a Hogwarts reunion," said Draco with a sly grin, and Harry groaned. Draco promised to take care of all the details, so Harry would have nothing to worry about. "You just make sure that you and the children are ready that night."

Albus and James rebelled at the idea of dress robes, but Scorpius seemed to share his father's love for dressing immaculately, always, and so he reveled in the opportunity to dress nicely. Harry was feeling a bit green around the gills as he heard the chatter of voices downstairs, but he dutifully ensured that the both himself and the children were properly dressed, reminding himself that it was better to be asked to attend a party in his lover's home than it was to be forced to attend a Ministry function. Draco seemed to share his distaste for them.

Scorpius swept into the room, dressed and ready, and arched a brow, looking exactly like his father as he did so. "Are we going to go downstairs before the party ends?" He brushed a piece of lint from his freshly-pressed black dress robes, and Harry smiled a little as he watched Lily peek around the corner, her hiding spot as she waited for them in the hallway given away by the hem of her pink dress; she seemed equally prepared to go downstairs.

Albus grinned and shrugged on the actual robe part of the ensemble, dashing forward to the blonde's side. "I'm ready!" he said, "We're just waiting on James."

"I'm nearly done, hold your bloody –!" The oldest boy turned, a sharp retort on his tongue, but it slipped away as green eyes met gray. Scorpius tilted his head at him, curious, and James quickly turned back to fumbling with his shirt buttons, willing away the faint flush that came to his cheeks. Ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous to be embarrassed, to be furious, over a bloody first year.

He yanked on his robes and turned again to face them, scowling. Second year, he reminded himself. And himself going into third. Still, ridiculous. Harry ushered them into the hall, and James found himself within half an arm's length of the blonde occupying his thoughts. Ridiculous, he reminded himself again, and yet…

He glanced at Scorpius, and received a small, reassuring smile for his trouble.

Perhaps not so ridiculous after all.

Albus shoved himself between them suddenly, bubbling with excitement and, with it, conversation, as usual. Scorpius' attention returned to the younger Potter, and James started down the stairs with the duo at his heels, refusing to feel slighted for having been knocked out of the spotlight by his younger brother. Ridiculous, his mind helpfully supplied again. But it wasn't quite so reassuring this time as before.

Harry was surprised as he looked around and realized that he knew almost every person in attendance. Draco hadn't been kidding when he had referred to it as a Hogwarts reunion. It seemed like everyone there had been in their year, and a large portion of them were Gryffindors. Of course, he saw the small huddle of upper class to one side, Slytherin through and through. But Draco wasn't among them, and it had Harry searching for his lover with a small frown.

"Miss me?"

Harry turned quickly, startled, and grinning, taking the glass Draco offered to him. "Draco…" The blonde winked, realizing he had already been found out.

"For an oblivious git, you're terribly perceptive at times," Draco teased.

Harry rolled his eyes. "It wasn't hard to guess. Most of these people are guests for me. And my birthday is in less than a week."

Draco smirked. "Well, I suppose the fact that you didn't guess it until the guests arrived still makes it a successful surprise, in the end."

Harry glanced around again; Neville and Hannah were talking to Luna and Rolf, George and Angelina weren't too far away, chatting with Teddy and Victoire, as were the rest of the Weasleys… The sudden weight of a person against his back, arms around his middle, nearly had him dropping his drink. And judging from the sudden ice in Draco's eyes, he could guess who it was. "Ginny," he said warmly, turning to embrace her properly. She kissed his cheek, and they both heard the soft hiss that came from their blonde onlooker; Ginny with amusement, and Harry with exasperation.

"Harry," she said with a smile, finally drawing back enough to Draco could slip in and wrap an arm around him possessively. "I'm surprised you convinced him to let me be invited."

Harry shook his head. "Draco did it all on his own." Ginny glanced at Draco, surprised, and he smirked at her.

"I'm more than capable of doing what I must for Harry, even if I'm not happy about it. He would have wanted you here, and so here you are." Pleasantries finished, as far as Draco was concerned, he looked down at Harry, dismissing her from further conversation.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Quite a catch, Harry. Come find me later when you don't have a snake hanging off your arm and we can actually talk."

Draco was sorely tempted to stick out his tongue at her, but he merely smirked and watched her walk away. "You're horrible," Harry scolded half-heartedly. The admonition was ruined by the laughter in the words.

"You love it," Draco retorted, taking his hand. "Come, let's dance."

Harry allowed himself to be dragged along, gaping. Everyone knew they were together at this point (after enough times of forgetting themselves and being discovered due to unlocked doors, nobody had doubted the Daily Prophet for once when it ran the outrageous story). But it was one thing for them to know it, and another thing for them to witness it. And Draco had always been one to protest a public coming out, for all their sakes, despite the fact that they had already technically been outed by the media.

"Is this my birthday present?" asked Harry in a low voice as he was tugged out onto the floor, not hesitating to curl an arm around his partner's waist despite the eyes that he knew were on them. Draco chuckled.

"I suppose. But I had rather thought that the stack of presents sitting over there with everyone else's were the actual gifts." Harry smiled as they slipped seamlessly into motion, joining several other couples that were already taking advantage of the music.

"I think I like this better," he admitted quietly, as if it were some great secret. He had feared a formal celebration, such as he had imagined were once held here for Purebloods by Lucius or the other Malfoy ancestors. But there was warmth here, closeness, despite the tensions that might run underneath here and there. The children were running around, unrestrained, giving their parents an opportunity to relax with friends while still knowing exactly where their children were at. The attire was a bit more formal than he liked, but it was a small price to pay for such a well-planned party, so clearly formulated with him in mind.

Harry smiled when he saw Lily eying them enviously. "Would you –" he began, but paused and watched out of the corner of his eye as Scorpius noticed as well from nearby where he was standing with Albus and a few other children their age. He pulled away from the conversation and crossed to her, extending a hand. Lily's eyes brightened and she beamed as if she had just been given the best present ever. She took his hand and Scorpius led her onto the floor, patiently helping her through the steps. He picked her up clear off the floor and whirled her once, and her shriek of laughter was the best sound Harry had heard all night.

"Do you mind if I cut in, Harry?" Blinking, Harry tore his eyes away from his daughter and looked at Luna with surprise, nodding without even thinking. "I mean with Draco," she added, and she was still the same as she had ever been, her smile patient and her eyes kind. "Ginny wants to talk to you, and I think Draco and I can find quite a lot to talk about to keep his mind off of how much he doesn't like her while you two dance."

Harry fought the urge to laugh. Still the same Luna. Blunt was an understatement. "Be my guest," he said, and Draco shot him a look before sweeping her off, though he didn't look particularly put out about it. Apparently he and Luna had reconnected during one of his cases at the Ministry months ago, and were actually rather good friends.

Meanwhile, James wandered over to where Albus was standing with Anthony and several other Gryffindor students, watching the dancing couples. "Scor is a really good dancer," commented Albus, and James nodded, following the smallest duo on the floor with his eyes. "Maybe, they'll bring the Triwizard Tournament back to Hogwarts, and we'll have a ball like Dad did."

James forced himself to look back at his younger brother. "Then we'd be stuck wearing these dress robes again."

Albus' nose wrinkled and he tugged at his collar. "Nevermind."

"James, Albus." Rose glanced out at the floor, and then back at them. "Would one of you come and dance with me?"

Albus shuffled back a step, so James rolled his eyes and stepped forward. "Sure, why not?" He took his cousin's hand and led her out onto the floor. Scorpius twirled by them with Lily and smiled, and then he was gone again. Draco and Luna whirled by, laughing together. Harry and Ginny were talking animatedly, both of them smiling at him when they saw him. They were clumsy compared to the adults, but it was still fun. Rose questioned him about Quidditch next year, and he forgot all about the strange tension that tended to settle in his belly when he thought about the youngest Malfoy.

Hours drifted past. The buffet replenished itself into the wee hours of the morning, and the music never seemed to stop. James dropped down onto the stairs, bloated with rich food and exhausted from dancing with every cousin he had never even known he had. Slowly, families were trickling out the doors, wishing Harry a happy birthday and promising to visit more often now that it seemed he had 'tamed the Slytherin Prince'. Draco didn't seem to like that so much, but it amused Harry greatly, and so it was allowed to pass unchallenged for the moment.

Albus was fast asleep on one of the abandoned tables, one shoe missing. He had started a line of dancing children that had snaked around and around the large ballroom, which had quickly worn out the majority of the younger party guests. The ones that had yet to go home were sprawled out much like Albus was, already fast asleep while they awaited their time to depart. The few adults that remained were sitting at tables, bunched close together, talking about the old days and telling stories that made some of them laugh and others blush, or yell and smack at one another playfully.

James glanced to his left, hearing footsteps, and spotted Scorpius. The blonde sat one stair below him and slid his feet out of his shoes, stretching his legs. "They are happy together," he said quietly, but didn't bother to look at the older boy sitting behind him.

James looked across at the tables again, saw the way his dad leaned against Scorpius', smiling and relaxed as he laughed at something one of the others had said. "Yeah," he admitted. "They are." As much as he hated to admit it, Mr. Malfoy made their dad happy, happier than he had been with their mom.

Scorpius leaned his elbows back on James' stair, still not looking at him. "At least you still have your mom."

"Yeah." James scooted down a stair so that he was level with the blonde, leaning back just as he was to get comfortable. "I still don't like it, but not because of your dad. I just wish they could have made it work."

Scorpius shrugged, unconcerned. "I used to wish my parents could go a full day without fighting. If divorce was what it took to make that happen, I wasn't going to complain." James glanced at him, then back at the tables, where his parents were sitting and not arguing, talking and laughing like everyone else. Scorpius' parents were still fighting; Astoria had not been invited to the party. All things considered, James knew he had less to complain about when it came to parents compared to Scorpius situation.

Scorpius yawned, and pushed himself to his feet. "I'm going up to bed. They're probably going to talk all night." He bent down and picked up his shoes, offering the older boy a faint smile as he straightened. "Good night, James."

James watched him head upstairs, then returned to looking straight ahead. "Yeah. Good night."

_Three years later_

"C'mon, Rose, throw me the Quaffle!"

"If you hit another Bludger at me, I'll go tell Mom!"

"Shut up and get back on the goal, Lil!"

James swerved around a Bludger and shot a glare at Fred II, tempted to complain about the close shot, but then he would sound as whiny as Lily, and he refused to be reduced to such. Surging upward, he pulled himself even with Scorpius, joining him in watching the tangle of brooms and balls below for some hint of the tiny Snitch.

"You should try to convince Albus to go for the team this year," said the sixteen year old conversationally, green eyes flitting around for a flash of gold. The blonde at his side never even looked up.

"You're trying to distract me. It won't work. And he refuses to play for the school team, you know that. Even though he's a bloody brilliant Chaser. He's just in it for fun." James rolled his eyes, opening his mouth to tell him just what he thought of 'playing for fun', when the fifteen year old suddenly sent his broom streaking downward, startling the brunette.

With a mumbled curse, James jerked his broom into a downward spiral and followed, finally spotting the Snitch that had sent Scorpius into motion. He urged his broom forward and they were soon neck and neck, dodging Bludgers and their fellow players in perfect rhythm. James chanced a look to his left, and saw that Scorpius was unflinchingly focused on his target, paying him no mind at all.

With a daring that he inherited from two generations of Potters, James hurled himself forward and skidded off his broom and into the dirt, clipping a fluttering golden wing but failing to latch on. He slammed his fist onto the ground and swore as Scorpius took advantage of the failed grab and managed to swipe the faltering Snitch, bringing his broom around in a sharp turn that allowed him to step off gracefully right in front of his fallen adversary. He smirked, and James' scowl deepened. "It's lucky for Gryffindor that I only play for fun, too," he said easily. "Otherwise I'd be Slytherin's Seeker instead of Keeper."

James got to his feet, brushing dirt from his pants. "Yeah, yeah," he muttered. "You say that, but it's just because you know you'd look like an idiot if you switched from Keeper to Seeker and then did a rubbish job of it."

Scorpius paused, glancing back at him. One eyebrow lifted, the gesture purely Malfoy. James halfway wondered sometimes if the blondes practiced the move in the mirror in the mornings. "Based on my performance this morning alone, I think it's clear that I would make a brilliant Seeker," he said, the beginnings of annoyance creeping into his tone.

_Oh, yeah._ James held back a grin. "Lucky shot," he snapped back, planting his feet in the dirt. Flames leapt into the normally-cool silver eyes, turning them molten with anger. _Come on, come on…!_

Scorpius surged toward him, his temper ignited. "I'll show you a luck sh –"

Albus was between them before either of them had time to swing, let alone land a punch, much to James' disappointment. "Hey, hey! Scor caught the Snitch, end of story. He's a bloody amazing Seeker, and you know it." Scorpius sent him a smug look, his anger already abating, but James merely scowled and turned to stomp away. Ridiculous. It was the most fitting word for their situation. Ridiculous, that a fifteen year old could twist his guts into knots like this. Worse, that his own brother was the part of the problem that had the knots sprouting thorns and digging in deep.

Damn summer to bloody hell. He was ready for Hogwarts again.

At least there he could find someone to distract him from what he couldn't have.

_(And that's the end! *hides* I'm sorry, so sorry! Don't kill me!  
The sequel is already being poked at! I hope to have a prologue up by the end of the week!  
I hope everyone is pleased by the ending of this fic, I felt like it was suitable. Don't worry, there will be Drarry in the sequel, even if the plot will revolve more around the boys. ;) And Gilbert might even come back and put in a guest appearance, if my muse permits.  
It has been a pleasure and a joy to make this journey with you, lovely readers, even though not all of you will be pleased with where it is ending. Remember my contests, and be sure to review! Keep an eye out for the sequel! :D  
I feel as though none of my lovely reviewers will do so, but I must request it all the same: please no flames or horrible, negative comments regarding the winning pairing. I did what felt best for the plot. ^^ That is all.  
Until next time, my lovely readers!  
Much love,  
Storm)_


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